Experiences of Drug Use and Parenting among Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

An Exploratory Study

Bibliographic Data

ID2168459
AuthorsSubadra Panchanadeswaran (0000-0002-0687-6498), Dheeshana Jayasundara, Dheeshana S Jayasundara
Year2012
Volume22
Issue8
Pages971-987
Publication date2012-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1091-1359 • E-ISSN: 1540-3556
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10911359.2012.707943
OpenAlexW2018523024
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited21

The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore the multiple contexts of vulnerability, drug use and parenting for women in substance abuse treatment. Nineteen purposively sampled women provided qualitative data through semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that adverse childhood experiences and intimate partners were important pathways into drug use initiation. Identities as mothers emerged as a key finding, intimately linked to women's motivation to seek and complete treatment. Understanding the challenges to recovery among mothers in treatment is an important priority for social workers. This study highlights the complexity of women's experiences and suggests implications for future practice and research. KEYWORDS: Parentingwomendrug treatmentmotherhoodchild abusesocial support Notes This study was made possible by an Adelphi University institutional grant to the first author. The authors would like to thank the study participants for generously sharing information about their lives. Thanks are also due to Ms. Pam Mattel, Ms. Cynthia Delarosa and staff at the Acacia Network for facilitating access and scheduling of interviews and to Ms. Elizabeth Chemick for her invaluable contribution to the project. The authors would like to thank Dr. Beryl Koblin for her help in the initial stages of this project

Child abuse · Childhood abuse · Drug · Exploratory research · Medical emergency · Poison control · Psychiatry · Substance abuse · Substance abuse treatment · Substance use · Suicide prevention · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Medicine · Poverty, Education, and Child Welfare · Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects · Psychology · Clinical Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub