The mediating role of duration of disclosure in the relationship between disclosure and psychological wellbeing among children living with HIV in Accra, Ghana

Delight Abla  Klutsey; Margaret  Amankwah-Poku; Kwaku Oppong Asante

Delight Abla Klutsey University of Education, Winneba https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6985-4117
Margaret Amankwah-Poku University of Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3372-8404
Kwaku Oppong Asante University of Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0206-3326

Keywords: Disclosure of HIV status, psychological wellbeing, duration of disclosure

Abstract

While the relationship between HIV status disclosure and mental health outcomes (i.e. depression and anxiety) among children and adolescents living with HIV is well studied, less is known about the mediating role played by length of HIV disclosure among children living with HIV. Using a purposively selected sample of 134 children living with HIV and their caregivers, this study examined the mediating role of duration of disclosure in the relationship between disclosure of status and psychological wellbeing of children living with HIV. Participants were administered standardised questionnaires that measured psychological wellbeing and length of HIV status disclosure. Hayes Process Model in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 23) was used to examine the direct and indirect effects of disclosure of HIV status on psychological wellbeing. The results showed psychological wellbeing was positively associated with both duration of disclosure and disclosure of child’s HIV status. Further analysis showed that the duration of disclosure mediated the relationship between disclosure of a child’s HIV status and psychological wellbeing. Disclosure of HIV status significantly predicted duration of disclosure and had a direct positive influence on psychological wellbeing. These findings suggest that HIV status disclosure does not adversely affect the wellbeing of children living with HIV as this relationship is mediated by how long the child has been aware of his or her HIV status.