Reprint of “Family economic strengthening and parenting stress among caregivers of AIDS-orphaned children: Results from a cluster randomized clinical trial in Uganda”☆

a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: Parenting stress Family economic strengthening AIDS-orphans Caregivers Randomized clinical trial Uganda This study examines the impact of a family economic strengthening intervention on parenting stress among care-givers of AIDS-orphaned children in Uganda. The study uses data from a 4-year (2008–2012) NIMH randomized clinical trial for AIDS-orphaned children known as Suubi-Maka (N = 346 dyads). Child–caregiver dyads from 10 comparable primary schools were randomly assigned to either the control group (n = 167 dyads) receiving usual care for school-going orphaned children (such as food aid and scholastic materials) or the treatment group (n = 179 dyads) receiving a family economic strengthening intervention (focused on a matched savings account), financial planning and management workshops over and above the usual care. Interviews were conducted at baseline and at 12 month and 24 month follow-ups. This study uses data from baseline and 24 month post-intervention. We use multivariate regression methods, controlling for socioeconomic characteristics. At 24 months, caregivers in the treatment group reported significantly lower levels of parenting stress compared to caregivers in the control group. Findings from this study point to the potential of a family economic strengthening intervention to improve caregiver's psychosocial well-being and that of their families. We conclude that programs and policies aimed at improving the psychosocial well-being of families caring for AIDS-orphaned children may consider incorporating economic strengthening components in their programming to help support these kinds of families, caregivers of AIDS-orphaned children especially those residing in developing countries. Although the prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS have been declining in sub-Saharan Africa, the number of orphaned children (defined as those who have lost one or both parents due to AIDS and/or AIDS-related causes) continues to increase. The region represents 90% of all AIDS-orphaned children in the world. More than half of these children are below the age of 17 years (UNAIDS, 2010). In Uganda, 1.2 million children have been orphaned as a direct result of HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2010). In most parts of Africa, extended families often provide care and support to orphaned children (Foster, 2002; Phiri & Webb, 2002). However, with the increasing number of orphaned children, coupled with high rates of poverty, studies indicate that the extended family system is overburdened and families are reluctant to take-on more chil-report additional pressures, including financial burden, emotional distress , and chronic illness that come with added familial responsibilities (Kuo …