Psychosocial Vulnerability and Resilience Measures For National-Level Monitoring of Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children

Abstract

Based on expert consultations to the psychosocial indicators developed for UNICEF Guide to Monitoring and Evaluation of the National Response for Children Orphaned and Made Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, a process was proposed to refine psychosocial measurement through population-based surveys and national-level indicator development. This activity is designed to support such an initiative. It provides a literature and instrument review, building on the preliminary review of studies and instruments compiled for the UNCEF NY technical consultation in July 2005. The review focuses on Africa in particular, adding additional evidence for evaluation methods and theoretical frameworks for vulnerability, resilience and psychosocial well-being and measurement approaches from resource-poor settings. The overall goal is to produce a concise, directed instrument, drawing as far as possible on existing validated instruments, to capture the critical aspects of psychosocial vulnerability and resilience among children in different countries and cultural contexts for monitoring on a national level. The output for this activity is a set of recommendations for a draft psychosocial vulnerability~resilience instrument for purposes of national-level monitoring of the situation of children affected by HIV/AIDS. The present contribution provides instruments for caregivers and adolescents that tap a set of core domains for assessing household, community and personal measures of youth vulnerability, resilience and psychosocial outcomes. Whether or not data derived from the instrument domains can be combined to provide a single vulnerability~resilience indicator will depend upon empirical investigation subsequent to the establishment of validity and reliability of the measures.