OverviewThe mental health problems of adolescents with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are important. It is of great significance to explore which factors can affect the self-evaluation and understanding of adolescents with HIV.ObjectiveWe found that adolescents with HIV have a lower level of self-concept than healthy adolescents. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing self-concept among adolescents with HIV in China.SettingA questionnaire was distributed among a total of 290

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... dolescents in Henan Province, China. One hundred and forty questionnaires were distributed in the case group (adolescents with HIV) and the control group (healthy adolescents) was issued 150 questionnaires.The Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire were adapted for a Chinese population. Differences between the groups were tested for significance using Student's t-test, and analysis of variance was used to test continuous variables. The relationship between environmental personality factors and adolescent self-concept was examined by Pearson correlation analysis. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to model the effects of environmental personality factors on self-concept.ResultsThe self-concept total score among adolescents with HIV was significantly lower than healthy adolescents (p<0.05). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that age (β=−0.19, t=−2.16, p=0.03), perceived stress (β=−0.19, t=−2.22, p=0.03), perceived social support (β=0.26, t=3.25, p=0.00), positive coping style (β=0.50, t=5.75, p=0.00) and negative coping style (β=−0.45, t=−5.33, p=0.00) were significantly associated with self-concept total scores.ConclusionsThe self-concept of adolescents with HIV is related to perceived stress, perceived social support and coping style. These findings underline the significance of self-concept among adolescents infected with HIV.