Abstract #37  -  Drawing on resilience: insights into childrens expressions and behaviours of resilience in the mother-child relationship of HIV positive mothers.
Authors:   Presenting Author:   Prof Liesel Ebersöhn - University of Pretoria
Additional Authors:  Prof Irma  Eloff, mrs Ineke van Dullemen, ms Michelle Finestone, Dr Kathleen Sikkema, Prof Brian Forsyth,
Aim: The Kgolo Mmogo study is a five-year randomised controlled trial investigating resilience in HIV-infected mothers and their young children. In this paper we describe the use of the Kinaesthetic Family Drawing (KFD) to determine resilience themes from the perspective of young children themselves.
Method / Issue: Baseline assessment data of six-year old participants (n=10) were purposefully sampled. Measures in the baseline assessment included the Kinaesthetic Family Drawing (KFD), the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale, as well as excerpts of baseline interview transcripts relevant to these measures. In order to explore the utility of the KFD as a measure to assess resilience, the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale was used to indicate mothers perspectives of their childrens adaptive behaviour. Based on thematic analysis themes of resilience and non-resilience emerged from the KFD as expressed by children-participants.
Results / Comments: Resilience themes comprise a safe and supportive environment (a caring mother, support systems and cooperative atmosphere), adaptive intrapersonal coping skills (emotional regulation, positive self-image), adaptive interpersonal coping skills (helpful, engaged in activities), and the presence of optimism regarding future expectations. Non-resilience themes include an at-risk, non-supportive environment (the presence of abuse), maladaptive intrapersonal coping skills (negative self-image, suppression of emtoions, denial), and maladaptive interpersonal coping skills (rejection of authority, resistance, aggression, isolating behaviour and a lack of concentration). The Vineland results signified coping skills, interpersonal skills and community skills as significant adaptive behaviours.
Discussion: We argue that the findings provide preliminary support into the utility of the KFD as a measure of resilience. In addition, the paper provides insight into the way in which a small number of young children express their own experiences of resilience in their relationship with mothers infected with HIV.
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