Stigma against children affected by AIDS (SACAA): psychometric evaluation of a brief measurement scale

AIDS Behav. 2010 Dec;14(6):1302-12. doi: 10.1007/s10461-009-9629-8.

Abstract

The current study was designed to develop and evaluate a brief scale measuring perceived public stigma against children affected by HIV/AIDS. The participants include 755 children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS (AIDS orphans), 466 children facing the potential of losing their parents to HIV/AIDS (vulnerable children), and 404 comparison children who did not have HIV-related illness or death in their families. The data in this study demonstrated that the SACAA scale provides a psychometrically sound measure of perceived stigma against children affected by AIDS in China. The SACAA scale is a reliable measure for children of both genders, at different developmental stages, and for both children affected by HIV/AIDS and comparison children. Known-group validation and correlation analysis demonstrate excellent construct validity of this brief SACAA scale. The SACAA score was positively associated with psychopathological symptoms and negatively associated with psychosocial well-being among participating children.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child of Impaired Parents / psychology
  • Child, Orphaned / psychology*
  • China
  • Data Collection
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / psychology*
  • HIV Seropositivity / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prejudice*
  • Psychometrics / instrumentation*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Vulnerable Populations