Research conducted at the University of California has shown that children who have one or more parents living with HIV or AIDS, or who have lost a parent because of the disease, have a better chance of coping if they have a strong social support network.

The study, published in yesterday’s American Journal of Public Health, observed 413 boys and girls—most of whom were African American and Latino—in which one or both parents had HIV/AIDS. Those who had the help of friends and loved ones exhibited lower levels of depression and fewer long-term emotional problems than those who did not.