Maternal HIV Serostatus, Mother–Daughter Sexual Risk Communication and Adolescent HIV Risk Beliefs and Intentions

Daughters of HIV-positive women are often exposed to the same factors that placed their mothers at risk. This cross-sectional
study (N = 176 dyads) examined HIV status, parent-teen sexual risk communication (PTSRC), and daughters’ abstinence and condom use
beliefs and intentions. Maternal HIV status was not associated with PTSRC. Path analyses show that maternal depression was
associated with PTSRC behavioral and normative beliefs; relationship satisfaction was associated with PTSRC normative and
control beliefs. Control beliefs were solely predictive of maternal PTSRC intention. PTSRC was associated with adolescent
behavioral and normative beliefs. Abstinence beliefs were associated with abstinence intentions; condom beliefs were associated
with condom use intentions. Relationship satisfaction was associated with adolescent control beliefs about both abstinence
and condom use. There is a need for interventions that help HIV-positive mothers recognize their daughter’s HIV risk and provide
them with relationship building and parent process skills to help reduce these risks.