Mothering, Substance Use Disorders and Intergenerational Trauma Transmission: An Attachment-Based Perspective

Abstract

Background: A growing body of research underlines that interpersonal trauma in childhood leads to heightened susceptibility for substance use disorders (SUDs) in later life. Little research has been conducted on parenting experiences of mothers in recovery from substance use, taking into account their own upbringing as a child and the potential aftermath of interpersonal childhood trauma. Methods: Through in-depth qualitative interviews, 23 mothers with SUDs reflected on parenting experiences and parent-child bonding, related to both their children and parents. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed adopting thematic analysis. Results: Throughout the narratives, consequences of trauma on mothers’ sense of self and its subsequent impact on parenting arose as salient themes. Five latent mechanisms of intergenerational trauma transmission were identified: 1) early interpersonal childhood trauma experiences in mothers; 2) trauma as a precursor of substance use; 3) substance use as a (self-fooling) enabler of parental functioning; 4) continued substance use impacting parental functioning; and 5) dysfunctional parental functioning and its relational impact upon offspring. Discussion: Findings suggest disruptive attachment can increase the vulnerability for SUDs on the one hand, but can be an expression of underlying trauma on the other, hence serving as a covert mechanism by which trauma can be transmitted across generations. Results indicate the need for preventive, attachment-based and trauma-sensitive interventions targeted at disruptive intergenerational patterns.

Determinants and prevalence of relapse among patients with substance use disorders: case of Icyizere Psychotherapeutic Centre

“…These results are consistent to the previous studies that indicated that the average time from abstinence to relapse varies from 4 to 32 days for tobacco, alcohol, and opiates [2,5,11,33]. They are also supported by the prior studies that showed that substance use following treatment typically is higher up to more than 75 % in the 3-6-month period following treatment [30,34]. Considering South African statistics in 2013, 22 % of admissions into treatment centres were relapsed.…”

“…Moreover, the results of this study suggest that the PUD who experienced low accessibility to drugs had a greater risk to relapse than the patients who appropriately accessed to required health treatments. This result is in line with the previous studies that confirmed that environmental risk factors increase the risk of relapse such as the increased availability and accessibility of drugs [19,21,34,35,37]. The results revealed that patients using multiple substances such as two to three substances were more likely to relapse than those only used one substance.…”

Women’s views on barriers and facilitators for seeking alcohol and drug treatment in Belgium

“…Parallel to the findings of prior research, this study found that the threat of losing parental authority is the most frequently endorsed barrier to treatment among female substance users with children (Meulewaeter et al, 2019), who attempt to stay under the radar of the social welfare system. However, for some participants it serves as a crucial reason to initiate treatment, either compulsorily or voluntarily.…”

The role of social mechanisms of change in women’s addiction recovery trajectories

“…A lack of healthy relationships or experiences of trauma are features often present in the narratives of women who have experienced addiction (Covington, 2002;Meulewaeter et al, 2019). As Covington (2002) explains, experiences of trauma expand beyond the suffering of direct violence to also include the witnessing of violence and the stigmatisation of these experiences, with women at a greater risk of experiencing harm from a partner or loved one.…”