242616 Grief-processing Based Psychological Intervention on AIDS Orphans in Central China

Monday, October 31, 2011

Xiuyun Lin , Institute of Developmental Psychology, Beijing Normal University, China, Beijing, China
Abstract: Based on the grief counseling theory and other related theories, this study was designed to examine the effectiveness of group psychological intervention program for AIDS orphans. Using the intervention group and control group design, 124 children from two similar orphanages were selected as research participants. The intervention group received a pretest, group psychological intervention, and a follow-up test three months after the investigation. Meanwhile the control group received the pretest and the follow-up test. A total of six sessions for each group psychological interventions were performed with each session lasting 2.5-3 hours. The interventions emphasized grief processing, improving trauma symptoms, hopeful for the future and improving confidence. The analysis of the data from the pretest and posttest indicated that: (1) compared with pretest, in the posttest three months later, both the intervention group and the control group showed a significant decline in trauma symptoms, a significant improvement in ability to control challenges in life from cognitive appraisal point and significantly increased in their orientation towards the future; (2) in the posttest, compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly greater grief processing and had significantly fewer trauma symptoms as well as lower threat assessments. This shows that group psychological intervention play a significant role in AIDS orphans' effectively processing their grief, hoping for the future and reducing trauma symptoms. Key words: AIDS orphans, psychological intervention, grief processing, trauma symptoms

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Abstract: Based on the grief counseling theory and other related theories, this study was designed to examine the effectiveness of group psychological intervention program for AIDS orphans. Using the intervention group and control group design, 124 children from two similar orphanages were selected as research participants. The intervention group received a pretest, group psychological intervention, and a follow-up test three months after the investigation. Meanwhile the control group received the pretest and the follow-up test. A total of six sessions for each group psychological interventions were performed with each session lasting 2.5-3 hours. The interventions emphasized grief processing, improving trauma symptoms, hopeful for the future and improving confidence. The analysis of the data from the pretest and posttest indicated that: (1) compared with pretest, in the posttest three months later, both the intervention group and the control group showed a significant decline in trauma symptoms, a significant improvement in ability to control challenges in life from cognitive appraisal point and significantly increased in their orientation towards the future; (2) in the posttest, compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly greater grief processing and had significantly fewer trauma symptoms as well as lower threat assessments. This shows that group psychological intervention play a significant role in AIDS orphans’ effectively processing their grief, hoping for the future and reducing trauma symptoms. Key words: AIDS orphans, psychological intervention, grief processing, trauma symptoms

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a faulty in Beijing Normal University.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: International Issues in HIV/AIDS Research
See more of: HIV/AIDS