The Psychological and Social Adjustment of Orphaned Children

HIV/AIDS is now three or so decades old and is starting to reshape society in hard hit countries, like Ethiopia. Researches show that, compared to other orphans, the impact of traumatic experiences AIDS orphans encountered during their parent's illness and death, memories and worries of their changed circumstances affect the psychosocial adjustment of these children (Kallian, 2003; Tandria, 2004). To this end, attempts are made by researchers to understand the problems of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. However, to my knowledge, the comparison of children orphaned by AIDS, children orphaned as a result of deaths other than AIDS and non-orphaned children in Ethiopia context is new. Death of parents to AIDS seems to have different effect on boys and girls. An examination of differences between sexes that were statistically significant indicates some tendency for girls to be more significantly affected than boys. Their differences are more pronounced in areas of psychological adjustment.

Autorentext

Messay Gebremariam Kotecho is currently a Lecturer and PhD student at the School of Social Work, Addis Ababa University (AAU). He got his diploma and first degree in English from Awassa College of Teachers' Education and AAU, respectively. He has also got his MA in Social Psychology. His research interests are in the area of children and elderly.