Subjective well-being among AIDS orphans in southwest China: the role of school connectedness, peer support, and resilience

Shimin Lai; Junmin Zhou; Xiaohe Xu; Shiying Li; Yuanyi Ji; Shujuan Yang; Wanjie Tang; Jianxin Zhang; Jianjun Jiang; Qiaolan Liu

doi:10.1186/s12888-022-03833-2

Subjective well-being among AIDS orphans in southwest China: the role of school connectedness, peer support, and resilience

BMC Psychiatry. 2022 Mar 18;22(1):197. doi: 10.1186/s12888-022-03833-2.

Authors

Shimin Lai^#^{1

2}, Junmin Zhou^#¹, Xiaohe Xu^{3

4}, Shiying Li⁴, Yuanyi Ji⁵, Shujuan Yang¹, Wanjie Tang⁶, Jianxin Zhang⁷, Jianjun Jiang⁸, Qiaolan Liu^{9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Behavior and Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² Department of Medical Affairs, West China Tianfu Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
³ University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, USA.
⁴ Department of Sociology and Psychology, School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁵ Nosocomial Infection Management Department, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
⁶ Centre for Educational and Health Psychology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁷ Department of Maternal, and Child and Adolescent Health, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁸ Department of Palliative Care, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Research Center for Palliative Care, West China-PUMC C.C. Chen Institute of Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. jjjun6@126.com.
⁹ Department of Health Behavior and Social Medicine, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. liuqiaol@scu.edu.cn.
¹⁰ Department of Palliative Care, West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Research Center for Palliative Care, West China-PUMC C.C. Chen Institute of Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China. liuqiaol@scu.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Few studies have explored the health and development of AIDS orphans using the positive youth development (PYD) framework. Grounded in this framework, the main objective of this study is to examine how internal assets (i.e., resilience) and external assets (i.e., school connectedness, peer support) affect subjective well-being among Yi AIDS orphans in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by interviewing 571 AIDS orphans and 979 non-orphans of Yi ethnic minority from 5th-10th grades. Structural equation models (SEM) were utilized to identify and estimate the direct and indirect effects of internal and external assets on subjective well-being.

Results: The average score of subjective well-being was significantly lower for AIDS orphans than for in non-orphans (P < 0.05). Resilience, school connectedness, peer support (number of friends, caring friends), and self-rated physical health had significant and positive direct effects on subjective well-being. In addition, the effects of school connectedness, and peer support on subjective well-being were mediated by resilience.

Conclusions: Positive individual and school-related contextual assets can bolster subjective well-being among AIDS orphans. The design of health intervention programs for AIDS orphans should incorporate these positive development assets.

Keywords: AIDS orphan; Peer support; Resilience; School connectedness; Structural equation model; Subjective well-being.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome*
Adolescent
Child, Orphaned*
China
Cross-Sectional Studies
Ethnicity
Humans
Minority Groups
Schools