A Family Therapy Model for Working with Persons with AIDS

An HIV positive diagnosis is not considered a predictable part of family development. When a family member becomes infected with the AIDS virus, the family must begin to cope with their emotions relating to the diagnosis, form a system to provide caregiving, and live through their grief. A model is presented to assist practitioners who work with PWA (persons with AIDS) and their families with these tasks. The Functional-Age Model is designed to evaluate changes in biopsychosocial functioning of people who are HIV positive and the concomitant effects on the structure and organization of the family. This model is presented with case examples to demonstrate application to families with HIV positive members.