91

As a result of the hiv/aids epidemic, children have been infected, particularly through the transmission of the virus from mother to child, but thanks to progress in anti-retrovirus treatments, some of these youngsters have now reached pre-adolescence and adolescence. An exploratory study of nine adolescents in Montreal who are living with hiv/aids highlights the particular problems they encounter: the repercussions of announcing that they are infected, preoccupations about revealing this to their family and friends, especially the peer group, fears about establishing intimate relationships or about becoming parents, and about being sexually active and preventing disease. This exploratory study shows some of the issues they are confronted with in their psychosexual development.