Prospective associations between bullying victimisation, internalised stigma, and mental health in South African adolescents living with HIV.

Journal: Journal of affective disorders

Volume: 276

Issue: 

Year of Publication: 2021

Affiliated Institutions:  School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U, Perth, Western Australia , Australia. Electronic address: mark.boyes@curtin.edu.au. Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom. Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U, Perth, Western Australia , Australia; FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United States. Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Abstract summary 

Adolescents living with HIV may be at elevated risk of psychological problems, which are correlated with negative health outcomes. In cross-sectional research with HIV-affected adolescents, bullying victimisation and internalised HIV stigma have been associated with poorer psychological health. We extended these findings and tested longitudinal associations between bullying victimisation, internalised stigma, and mental health among adolescents living with HIV. We also tested whether relationships between bullying victimisation and psychological symptoms were mediated by internalised stigma.Adolescents living with HIV (n = 1060, 10-19 years, 55% female), who had ever initiated HIV treatment in 53 public health facilities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, were interviewed and followed up 18 months later (n = 995, 94% retention). Participants completed well-validated measures of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, bullying victimisation, and internalised stigma.After adjusting for baseline mental health and sociodemographic characteristics, baseline internalised stigma prospectively predicted poorer outcomes on all psychological measures. Bullying victimisation at baseline was not directly associated with any psychological measures at follow up; however, it was indirectly associated with all psychological measures via internalised stigma.Reliance on self-report measures and poor reliability of the depression scale.Bullying victimisation is associated with internalised stigma, which in turn predicts psychological symptoms over time. Interventions reducing internalised stigma and associated psychological distress are needed, and these should be integrated into HIV care to ensure optimal HIV management. The implementation of bullying prevention programs may reduce internalised stigma and promote mental health among adolescents living with HIV.

Authors & Co-authors:  Boyes Mark E ME Pantelic Marija M Casale Marisa M Toska Elona E Newnham Elizabeth E Cluver Lucie D LD

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations : 
Authors :  6
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.101
SSN : 1573-2517
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Adolescent
Other Terms
Adolescents;Bullying victimisation;HIV;Mental health;Stigma
Study Design
Longitudinal Study,Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
South Africa
Publication Country
Netherlands