• Katherine S Elkington, Reuben N Robbins, José A Bauermeister, Elaine J Abrams, Mary McKay, and Claude A Mellins.
• HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Sciences, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive #15, New York, NY 10032, USA. ke2143@columbia.edu
• J Pediatr Psychol. 2011 Apr 1; 36 (3): 360-73.

ObjectiveTo examine the association of youth and caregiver HIV status, and other contextual and social regulation factors with youth mental health.MethodData were from two longitudinal studies of urban youth perinatally infected, affected, and unaffected by HIV (N = 545; 36% PHIV+ youth; 45.7% HIV+ caregivers). Youth mental health was measured using the Child Behavior Checklist, the Child Depression Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children.ResultsHIV+ youth reported elevated scores on the CDI compared with HIV- youth. HIV+ caregivers reported fewer symptoms and were less likely to report scores in the clinical range for their children on the CBCL compared with HIV- caregivers. Caregiver mental health and parent-child communication and involvement were also associated with youth mental health.ConclusionsYouth who resided with HIV+ caregivers had better mental health. Future research needs to further explore the role of caregiver HIV infection in youth mental health. Understanding and building upon strengths of HIV-affected families may be an effective focus of interventions for this population.

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