Marseille 2007
| Abstract #403 - Leading the Way: Evaluating a group therapy program for children/youth affected by HIV and AIDS. | ||||
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Session: 38.4: Counselling and Therapy (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 14.00-16.00 in CP Chaired by Barbara Hedge, Michael Blank Authors: Presenting Author: Mrs Karen Vance-Wallace - The Teresa Group, Canada |
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| Additional Authors: Ms Simone Shindler, | ||||
| Aim: This presentation will overview the evaluation of Leading the Way(LTW), a group therapy program offering psychosocial support to children/youth affected by HIV and AIDS. LTW was pioneered in 1996 by The Teresa Group, an AIDS service organization based in Toronto, Canada specializing in programming for children and families. This evaluation is a unique analysis of group work that seeks a holistic understanding of children not only infected but also those who are very much affected by HIV and AIDS. For two nine week sessions a year, children/youth come together to participate in LTW. During each series, four groups run concurrently: two groups are geared to children/youth who have been disclosed to and are thus aware of their own or their family members HIV/AIDS status; and two groups are run for children who have not been disclosed to and are therefore not aware of their own or their family members HIV/AIDS status. The groups are divided according to the age of the children/youth. Evaluation measures are collected during each group series. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Very little research has been done to assess the value of group therapy programs for children/youth affected by HIV and AIDS, where either they or a family member has HIV/AIDS. Indeed the bulk of research on the psychosocial impact of HIV and AIDS has yet to move beyond a narrow focus on children who are themselves infected. In order to address this gap in knowledge. This presentation will address this gap in knowledge by demonstrating how data collected from groups conducted from 1998-2006 can be been utilized to provide a rich qualitative understanding of the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS. By systematically analyzing information routinely collected by The Teresa Group, including pre and post qualitative surveys as well as individual and group reports, this evaluation will contribute to evidence-based practice and inform efforts to best serve this increasing and high-need population group. | ||||
| Results / Comments: The data will be used for thematic qualitative analysis of the meaning and impact of the group as identified by participants and clinical facilitators. By completing in-depth qualitative analyses, themes will emerge that reflect childrens progress, the meaning they associate with the program, and the psychosocial improvements that result from participation. The evaluation will also result in lessons regarding 1) Demonstrating differences in the psychosocial functioning of children who are aware of the HIV infection in themselves or their family vs. those who have not been told of the HIV infection. 2) An indication that children/youth affected by HIV and AIDS experience heightened levels of anxiety and depression. The evaluation will be completed by June 2007. | ||||
| Discussion: The evaluation will contribute to evidence-based practice knowledge regarding LTWs group therapy mode and will enrich qualitative (narrative) understanding of the experiences of children affected by HIV and AIDS. The findings will be used to modify and strengthen the LTW program and counselling services for children affected by HIV and AIDS. | ||||
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