DIE GEVOLGE VAN POSITIEWE MIV-DIAGNOSERING BY ADOLESSENTE-LEERDERS

• Main Author: Beyers, Christa
• Other Authors: Prof CJ Kotze
• Format: Others
• Language: en-uk
• Published: University of the Free State 2006
• Subjects: Psychology of Education
• Online Access: http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-07042006-084118/restricted/

In article 1 it became clear from the literature why adolescents are seen as a high-risk group for contractin g and spreading HIV/Aids. Adolescents are seen as being in a developmental phase regarding the forming of an identity and the development of a self-esteem. Research has shown that adolescents have adequate knowledge about the virus, but they lack in skills to apply this knowledge. The Theory of Social Representations emphasize the idea that one must keep in mind the individual's own interpretations and realities when the Aids-pandemic is addressed. This article must be seen as an introduction to the other articles in this series. Article 2 attempts to understand the attitudes of teachers, the peergroup and the community towards the HIV-positive adolescent. Although the individuals involved showed empathy, few of them were prepared to take responsibilities in order to help prevent the problem. In addition to this, HIV/Aids are contracted and spread amongst adolescents because many misperceptions prevail. This article concludes that the sexual development of the adolescent should be redefined in order to curb this problem. The consequences of HIV-positive diagnosis on the adolescent are discussed in article 3. Responses of adolescents proved that they still experience stigmatization from the community, which in turn leads to, amongst other things, anxiety, depression and anger. It is concluded that to be diagnosed HIV-positive, does not necessarily lead to a change in behaviour. It is important to support these adolescents for them to be able to live their lives with dignity. In the fourth article in this series of five, attention is firstly paid to possible implications of HIV -positive diagnosis as recorded in the literature. The researcher then tried to establish what effects HIV-positive diagnosis on the adolescent have on his/her family. It proved that these families are still discriminated against and in some cases it leads to the isolation of the family. Emotional support and counselling of family members is of utmost importance when they have to take care of an adolescent diagnosed with HIV. Article 5 attempts to highlight possible strategies and solutions that could help in the prevention of HIV. Components are discussed in two phases, namely the prevention of HIV and the support to roleplayers that are affected by HIV/Aids.