WHAT DO PREADOLESCENTS AND ADOLESCENTS UNDERSTAND ABOUT HIV AIDS/

Pre-adolescents and adolescents (N = 80, aged 10, 12, 15, and 18 years ) were tested on their knowledge of HIV/ AIDS. Knowledge was assessed using a self-report questionnaire (examining levels of factual knowled ge) and a semi-structured interview (examining cognitive developmental levels of understanding). Examination of the developmental shifts in understanding of HIV/AIDS revealed an increase in conceptual complexit y on causal and prevention dimensions. The main conceptual changes inc luded a shift from single cause to multiple cause solutions and a shif t from identifying surface or immediate features to implicating less s alient features. Additionally, with age, concepts about HIV/AIDS were increasingly organised around internal, physiological principles. Ques tionnaire responses yielded significant age-related increases in knowl edge. Level of knowledge, as measured by the questionnaire, was higher than that assessed by the interview for the three youngest age groups . Thus, factual information acquired about HIV/AIDS is not automatical ly accompanied by understanding. In light of these findings the past c onclusion that adolescents have high levels of knowledge of HIV/AIDS i s questioned.