Abstract
This study was designed to examine the relationship of maternal and child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to the security of attachment of Ugandan infants. The attachment patterns of two groups of Ugandan mother-infant pairs: 35 HIV-positive mothers and their infants and 25 HIV-negative mothers and their infants were compared. We tested the hypothesis that infants of HIV-positive mothers would demonstrate less secure attachment as measured by the Waters Attachment Q-set than infants of HIV-negative mothers. No differences were found in the security of attachment of infants of HIV-positive versus HIV-negative mothers. Infants of HIV-positive mothers with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) were less securely attached than infants of mothers without AIDS. These findings underscore the relationship of infant security of attachment to maternal HIV infection in the presence of AIDS-related symptoms but not to asymptomatic maternal HIV infection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Brocklehurst, P. & French, R: The association between maternal HIV infection and perinatal outcome: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Brit J Obstet & Gynaec 105: 836-884, 1998.
Leroy, V., Ladner J., Myiraziraje, M., De Clercq, A., Bazubagira A., Van de Perre, P., Karita, E, & Dabis, F: Effect of HIV-1 infection on pregnancy outcome in women in Kigali, Rwanda, 1992–1994. Pregnancy and HIV Study Group. AIDS 12: 643-650, 1998.
AIDS Control Programme: Progress on the AIDS epidemic in Uganda. Entebbe, Uganda (1991).
Goodgame, R.W: AIDS in Uganda—clinical and social features. New Eng Jf Med 323: 383-389, 1990.
Mandalakas, A., Guay, L., Musoke, P., Carroll-Pankhurst C., & Olness, K.N: Human Immunodeficiency status and delayed type hypersensitivity skin testing in Ugandan children. Pediatr 103: E21-E25, 1999.
Sherwen, L.N., & Boland, M: Overview of psychosocial research concerning pediatric human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Developm Beh Pediatr 15: S5-S11, 1994.
Sroufe, L.A: Emotional development: The organization of emotional life in the early years. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 10: 1-40, 1998.
N\Barnett, T., Blackie, P. & Barnard: AIDS in Africa: Its present and future impact. New York: Guilford Press, 1992.
Hom, D.L., Guay, L., Mmiro, F., Ndugwa, C., Kataaha, P., Ball, P., Goldfarb, J., Kenya-Mugisha, N., Olness, K., & Houser, H: HIV-1 seroprevalence rates in women attending a prenatal clinic in Kampala, Uganda. Pediatr AIDS HIV Infect 4: 74-77, 1993.
McGrath, J.W., Ankrah, E.M., Schumann, D.A., Nkumbi, S., & Lubega, M: AIDS and the urban family: Its impact in Kampala, Uganda. AIDS Care, 54: 57-72, 1992.
Boivan, M.J., Green, R.R.S., Davies, A.G., Giordani, B., Mokili, J.K.L., & Cutting, W.A.M: A preliminary evaluation of the cognitive and motor effects of pediatric HIV-infection on African children. Health Psychol 14: 13-21, 1995.
Drotar, D., Olness, K., Wiznitzer, M., Guay, L., Marum, L., Svilar, M.S., Hom, D., Fagan, J.F., Ndugwa, C., & Kiziri-Mayengo, R: Neurodevelopment outcomes of Ugandan infants with human immunodeficiency virus type I infection. Pediatr 100,1: E1-E5, 1997.
Msellati, P., Lepage, P., Hitmana, D., VanGoethem, C., VandePerre, P., & Dabis, F: Neurodevelopmental testing of children born to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 seropositive and seronegative mothers: A prospective cohort study in Kigali, Rwanda. Pediatr 92: 843-848, 1993.
Ainsworth, M., Blehar, M., Waters, E., & Wall, S: Patterns of Attachment. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Anderson, V.M. (1997). The placental barrier to maternal HIV infection. Obst & Gynecol Clin of North Ameri 24: 797–820, 1978.
Fallon, J., Eddy, J., Wiener, L., & Pizzo, P.A: Human immunodeficiency virus infection in children. J Pediatr 114: 1-23, 1989.
Waters, E., & Deane, K: Defining and assessing individual differences in attachment relationships: Q-methodology and the organization of behavior in infancy and early childhood. In Growing points in attachment theory and research. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 50, Serial No. 209: E 41-65, ed. Bretherton, I. & Waters, E., 1985.
Widy-Wirski, R., Berkley, S., & Downing, R: Evaluation of the WHO clinical case definition for AIDS in Uganda. J Ameri Med Assoc 260: 3286-3289, 1989.
Bayley, N: Bayley Scales of Infant Development. New York: The Psychological Corporation, 1969.
Sigman, M., Neumann, C., Carter, E., Cattle, D.J., D'Souza, S., & Bwibo, N: Home interactions and the development of Embu toddlers in Kenya. Child Developm 59: 1251-1261, 1988.
Hoffman, Y. & Drotar, D: Impact of postpartum depressed mood on mother-infant interaction: Like mother like baby? In Ment Heal J 12: 65-80, 1991.
Walders, N., & Drotar, D: Understanding Cultural and Ethnic Influences in Research with Child Clinical and Pediatric Psychology Populations. In Handbook of Research Methods in Clinical Child and Pediatric Psychology, ed. Drotar, D. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2000.
Blehar, M.C., Lieberman, A.F., & Ainsworth, M.D.S: Early face-to-face interaction and its relation to later infant-mother attachment. Child Developm 48: 182-194, 1977.
Mok, J. & Cooper, S: The needs of children whose mothers have HIV infection. Arch Dis Childh 77: 483-487.
Papola, P, Alvarez, M, & Cohen, H.J: Developmental and service needs of school-age children with human immunodeficiency virus infection: A descriptive study. Pediatr 94: 883-891, 1994.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Peterson, N.J., Drotar, D., Olness, K. et al. The Relationship of Maternal and Child HIV Infection to Security of Attachment Among Ugandan Infants. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 32, 3–17 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017581412328
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1017581412328