The impact of illness disclosure and custody plans on adolescents whose parents live with AIDS

Objectives: To describe the disclosure and custody planning of parents living with AIDS and the impact of these on their adolescents' adjustment. Methods: An examination of the association of multiple behaviour problems in children and the illness disclosure and custody plans oi their parents living with AIDS. Results: Both mothers (87%) and fathers were significantly more likely to disclose their HIV serostatus to adolescents (73%), compared with younger children (23%); only 44% disclosed their illness to all their children; 11% disclosed to none. Most parents (80%) living with AIDS had discussed their custody plans. However, only 30% initiated legal plans, typically for younger children. Adolescents who were informed of their parents' serostatus engaged in more sexual risk acts, smoked more cigarettes, and reported more severe substance use and greater emotional distress than uninformed adolescents. Legal custody arrangements were not associated with adolescent adjustment at recruitment or follow-up. Conclusions: A longitudinal analysis of the impact on adolescents of the behaviours of parents living with AIDS is needed.