Maternal HIV Infection: Parenting and Early Child Development

Examined whether support could offset the potential stress ofmaternal HIV infection with regard to parenting and early childdevelopment in two studies of low income, urban, drug-usingmothers of infants and toddlers. In one study, support was providedthrough home intervention; in the other, support was measuredthrough self-report. There were few differences in parentingand early child development related to maternal HIV infection.HIV+ mothers reported less child-related stress among theirtoddlers, more normative levels of child abuse potential following18 months of home intervention, and displayed more positiveinvolvement with their children. Results, interpreted from ecologicaltheory, suggest that although the early stages of maternal HIVinfection may have been too distal to influence the lives ofhigh-risk mothers of infants and toddlers, when differencesexisted, HIV+ mothers demonstrated more positive attitudes andbehaviors toward parenting and were more able to benefit fromhome intervention than HIV– mothers.