Children's Understanding of AIDS: A Developmental Viewpoint

In the past few years, scientists and educators have become aware of the need to educate young people about AIDS to help prevent its spread. More specifically, since the family provides the main context in which young children learn, the role of family life educators is an important one in helping parents provide accurate and timely information to their children. This study is designed to clarify questions regarding children's knowledge of AIDS from a developmental viewpoint. Children in preschool, first grade, third grade, and fifth grade were interviewed. The findings suggest that children's knowledge of AIDS is associated with general perceptions children have regarding illness, and that accurate knowledge of AIDS is directly related to age.