Family-Centred Healing: A Qualitative Study of Adolescents Living with HIV and Their Caregivers' Experiences with the Multiple Family Group Therapy in Ghana.
Description
Research Context and Hypothesis This dataset was generated from an embedded qualitative study nested within a registered cluster randomised controlled trial (NCT06701942) evaluating the Abusuafoɔ Apomuden (Healthy Families) Multiple Family Group Therapy (MFGT) intervention at Atua Government Hospital, Lower Manya Krobo District, Ghana. The study explored the experiences of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) and their caregivers who participated in the intervention, hypothesising that a culturally adapted, family-centred programme would produce psychosocial, relational, and behavioural changes not fully captured by quantitative trial outcomes alone. What the Data Is and How It Was Gathered The dataset comprises six verbatim FGD transcripts translated from Twi and Dangme into English, collected from 39 participants: ALHIV (n=19, ages 14–22; FGDs 1–3) and caregivers (n=20, ages 23–72; FGDs 4–6). Participants were purposively selected from the intervention arm on the basis of attending ≥7 of 10 sessions. FGDs were conducted post-intervention, audio-recorded with informed consent, transcribed verbatim, and reviewed for accuracy. Supplementary files include the qualitative codebook (40 codes; 7 themes; 20 subthemes), thematic framework table, FGD guides, and session delivery plan. Ethics approval: GHS-ERC:004/07/24. Key Findings Thematic analysis yielded seven themes. The most clinically significant finding was the resolution of active suicidal ideation among multiple adolescents, attributed to group normalisation, peer solidarity, and accurate HIV education (Theme 2). Participants also reported a shift from caregiver-enforced to self-directed ART adherence, including a participant-generated peer-reminder innovation — the 'toffee' code — for discreet medication prompting (Theme 3). Family communication improved markedly through the joint attendance format, with extended intra-family HIV disclosure reported in several cases (Theme 4). Social isolation was substantially reduced, and durable cross-family support networks formed beyond the programme period (Theme 5). Cultural adaptation — proverbs, Ananse storytelling, and bilingual delivery — was identified as constitutive of therapeutic effectiveness, not merely supplementary (Theme 7). Restored future orientation, including renewed aspirations for marriage, education, and careers, was a cross-cutting outcome. Interpretive Guidance The sample reflects engaged participants only and is not broadly representative. Transcripts are English translations; culturally specific terms are preserved in parentheses where relevant. The deposited codebook should be consulted before any secondary analysis. All participant identifiers are anonymised (format: ALHIV-FGD1-P3; CG-FGD4-P2). Users are expected to handle this data in accordance with ethical principles governing qualitative health research involving vulnerable populations.
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Steps to reproduce
Data were collected as part of an embedded purposive qualitative study nested within a registered randomised controlled trial (NCT06701942) evaluating the Abusuafoɔ Apomuden (Healthy Families) intervention — a culturally adapted Multiple Family Group Therapy (MFGT) programme for adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) and their caregivers in the Lower Manya Krobo District, Ghana. The qualitative component aimed to explore the lived experiences of ALHIV and their caregivers who participated in the 10-week, family-centred intervention delivered at Atua Government Hospital. Data were collected through six semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted upon completion of the tenth intervention session: three FGDs with ALHIV participants (n = 19) and three FGDs with caregivers (n = 20), yielding a total analytical sample of 39 participants. Participants were purposively selected from the intervention arm on the basis of having attended at least seven of ten scheduled MFGT sessions. FGDs were facilitated in Twi and Dangme, audio-recorded with informed consent, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English by bilingual members of the research team. Data were analysed using inductive reflexive thematic analysis following the six-phase framework of Braun and Clarke, generating seven themes and twenty subthemes that illuminate the multi-domain impact of the intervention on mental health, medication adherence, family relationships, social support, and cultural well-being. The dataset deposited in this repository comprises de-identified English-language FGD transcripts, the semi-structured FGD guides used for both participant groups, and the facilitator session delivery schedule. All data were collected under ethical approval from the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee (GHS-ERC:004/07/24). Reporting adheres to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).