The mental health needs of adolescents in families with AIDS.
Item
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Title
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The mental health needs of adolescents in families with AIDS.
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Identifier
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AAI9304654
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identifier
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9304654
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Creator
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Draimin, Barbara H.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Irwin Epstein
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Date
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1992
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Social Work | Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies | Sociology, Individual and Family Studies | Psychology, Social
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Abstract
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This dissertation is an exploratory study of the perspectives of parents and adolescents on the mental health needs of well adolescents in families with AIDS. The methods used for this study were participant observation and focused interviews with guardians and adolescents whose families have been directly affected by AIDS. Forty families were interviewed. The data for this study were collected in 1991 while the investigator was the Director of Planning for AIDS Services within a large city government. Since the department provided comprehensive social services for people with AIDS, the affiliation provided excellent access and support for the purposes of the study. The study was partially funded by the National Institute of Mental Health through Contract #279492.;The purpose of the study was to assess the mental health needs of adolescents in families in which at least one adult family member has AIDS. To gain information about clients, a questionnaire was used to interview both the adolescent and his/her guardian or parent.;Two groups were studied. Twenty adolescents were interviewed who had a parent living with AIDS. An additional twenty were interviewed six months after the parent with AIDS had died.;AIDS poses special and unique problems for adolescents dealing with the death of a parent. For example, all respondents were concerned about the stigma of HIV disclosure to other people both inside and outside the family. All families had difficulty knowing whom to tell about the illness.;The exploratory nature of this study, as well as the limited sample, make these findings the base work for another study. The qualitative nature of this study helped to identify the factors on which to focus in follow-up research. As a result of this exploratory study, a subsequent longitudinal study evaluating the effectiveness of two proposed intervention strategies for enhancing the mental health, behavioral and social adjustment of adolescents who have a parent living with AIDS has been designed and submitted for federal funding.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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D.S.W.
