Abdallah M. Badahdah

I want to stand on my own legs: A qualitative study of antiretroviral therapy adherence among HIV-positive women in Egypt.

Abstract A review of the antiretroviral therapy (ART) literature revealed that not a single published study has examined the factors that influence patients’ adherence to HIV medications in the Arab world. To mend this gap, this qualitative study collected data via face-to-face interviews with 27 HIV-positive Egyptian women who had been on ART for at least three months. Using a thematic analysis technique, five themes were identified: fear of stigma, financial constraints, characteristics of ART, social support, and reliance on faith. Notwithstanding the overwhelming number of inhibiting factors, most patients in this study were highly motivated to achieve perfect adherence.

Development of a Yemeni AIDS stigma scale.

Abstract Research on the social and behavioral aspects of AIDS in the Arab world is relatively scarce despite the efforts of a few scholars over the last quarter century. AIDS-related stigma and discrimination are especially important areas that have received little attention. One critical barrier to undertaking such research has been the absence of an Arabic instrument to employ this work. The current study addressed this gap by developing and implementing an Arabic AIDS Stigma Scale that consisted of 10 items. The data were collected from college students at a public university in Yemen. Principle axis factor analysis identified two factors with five items each that explained 35% of the variance. The availability of the Yemeni AIDS Stigma Scale (YASS) should be a valuable resource for scholars interested in AIDS-related research in Yemen and the rest of the Arab world.

Helping a Friend with Aids: A Test of Weiner's Attributional Theory in Kuwait:

Two studies conducted in Kuwait examined two models from the attribution-affect-action theory. The theory suggests that an individuals decision to help someone with AIDS is determined by his or her affective reactions of pity and anger, which are determined by an attribution of responsibility (model 1). Help giving, according to the theory, is not determined by causal attribution without the influence of emotion, especially when the person in need is a friend (model 2). In the first study, the two models were tested in a sample of 309 men from Kuwait University who read two vignettes about a friend with AIDS. The same two models were examined in the second study, but with a sample of 308 Kuwaiti women college students who also read two vignettes about a friend with AIDS. The implications of the findings for people living with AIDS are discussed.

Religion and Mate Selection through Cyberspace: A Case Study of Preferences among Muslims

Researchers who study mate selection have become increasingly interested in whether human mate selection criteria are universal. However, the majority of the published work focuses on Western cultures. In this article, we address this shortcoming by testing some of the hypotheses advanced by evolutionary psychologists on mate preferences among Muslims. Respondents were asked to rate the desirability of 18 characteristics in a potential mate and to rank 13 characteristics of potential mates from most to least important. Overall, the findings reported here are consistent with evolutionary psychologists approach to mate selection. However, a significant finding of this study is that the preference for a religious mate and a mate with similar religious background emerged as the most desirable attributes in a potential mate by both sexes.

Attitudes Toward Restricting the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Women Living With HIV Infection in Yemen

&NA; A considerable amount of research has demonstrated the pervasive and destructive power of discrimination against people living with HIV, which limits their full and equal participation in society. This study surveyed 613 young adults from Yemen about their attitudes toward the sexual and reproductive rights of women living with HIV (WLWH). Among survey respondents, 80% believed that WLWH should be sterilized and not allowed to get married. Furthermore, 62% thought that WLWH should be forced to have abortions if they became pregnant. Men were more likely than women to impose restrictions on the sexual and reproductive rights of WLWH. HIV stigma predicted respondent attitudes toward WLWH, but religiosity and knowledge about HIV did not. The results of the study have implications for developing programs to protect and promote the rights of WLWH in Yemen.

Parenting Young Arab Children: Psychometric Properties of an Adapted Arabic Brief Version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire

Research has shown a connection between negative parenting practices and child conduct problems. One of the most commonly used measures to assess parenting practices is the Alabama parenting questionnaire (APQ). The current study aimed to culturally adapt and assess the psychometric properties of a short version of the APQ for use in Arabic cultures, using a sample of 251 Qatari parents of children ages 4–12. An exploratory factor analysis proposed a five-model solution that corresponds to the original proposed model in the full version of the APQ. The five constructs of the APQ correlated in the expected direction with the Conduct Problem Subscale from the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. This study provides support for the utility of the 15-item short version of the APQ in Arabic cultures. More studies are needed to validate the performance of the short version of APQ in clinical settings.