Parenting self-efficacy of HIV-infected mothers: The role of social support

Parenting self-efficacy is a crucial component of parenting competence. In this study, we examine differences in parenting self-efficacy and the relationship of social support to parenting self-efficacy for HIV-infected and uninfected mothers. We test competing hypotheses about how social support may relate to self-efficacy in the two groups of women. Participants were 205 African American mothers, one third of whom were infected with HIV Results indicate that HIV-infected mothers reported lower levels of parenting self-efficacy than did mothers who were not infected Furthermore, the relationship between social support and parenting self-efficacy differed according to HIV status.