Deconstructing stigma: Perceptions of HIV-seropositive mothers and their disclosure to children

This study addressed the perceptions of stigma and disclosure behavior of HIV-seropositive mothers. Eighty-eight HIV-seropositive women in New York City completed two independent measures of stigma, the Perceived Stigma Scale and the Devaluation-Discrimination Measure. Disclosers (67%) and nondisclosers (33%) were similar in most sociodemographic characteristics-marital status, race, religion and employment, with the exception of age and education. Significant differences were found between disclosure groups in the use of secrecy as a stigma management tool and in perceived devaluation-discrimination associated with an HIV diagnosis. Nondisclosers to children were significantly more likely than disclosers to use secrecy as a stigma management tool (t = -2.76; p = .01), and to feel devalued and discriminated against as a result of HIV serostatus (t = 3.11; p = .01). Disclosure of parental HIV serostatus to children is an important aspect of continuous care and custody planning. Secrecy and perceptions of devaluation and discrimination related to HIV diagnosis should be seen as barriers to disclosure of serostatus to children. (C) 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.