The Comorbid and Individual Impacts of Maternal Depression and Substance Dependence on Parenting and Child Behavior Problems

Abstract

Maternal depression, substance dependence, and the comorbidity of these conditions are highly prevalent risk factors among families involved with Child Protective Services (CPS). Data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being I (NSCAW I) were analyzed to examine the influence of maternal substance dependence, depression, and comorbidity on parenting and child behavior over 36-months among children reported to CPS who remained in the home at all waves. Although neglect and child behavior problems were highest for mothers with comorbidity at baseline, mothers with substance dependence had the poorest self-reported parenting and child behavior problems over time. Results indicate a need for intensive targeted services to address the complex needs of CPS-involved mothers with substance dependence and their in-home children.

Treatment Access Barriers and Disparities Among Individuals with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: An Integrative Literature Review

“…Focusing only on barriers to treatment access for individuals with COD, this review is unable to compare its findings to barriers to treatment access for individuals with only substance use disorders and barriers for individuals with only mental health disorders. Although some research has compared outcomes for individuals with COD to individuals with a single substance use or mental health disorder (Seay & Kohl, 2015), this comparison was outside the scope of this review. Future work can compare barriers to treatment across these groups (COD, mental health disorders only, SUDs only).…”

Family‐Based Recovery: An Innovative Collaboration between Community Mental Health Agencies and Child Protective Services to Treat Families Impacted by Parental Substance Use

“…The needs of parents who use substances and the potential impact on their young children are well documented (Seay and Kohl, ; Whitaker et al, ). A subset of these parents will come to the attention of child protective services (CPS) due to concerns that substance use is compromising their parenting.…”

Parental Childhood Adversity, Depressive Symptoms, and Parenting Quality: Effects on Toddler Self‐regulation in Child Welfare Services Involved Families

“…We did not assess for symptoms of posttraumatic stres disorder (PTSD)/anxiety, so we could not address the possible role of comorbid anxiety/PTSD, which is high among mothers with a history of childhood trauma (Oh et al., ). Similarly, we did not assess symptoms of substance‐abuse disorders, which are associated with both early trauma history and CWS involvement (Seay & Kohl, ). We did not have the power to test the moderating role of child sex, of which there are many examples in the literature (e.g., McGinnis, Bocknek, Beeghly, Rosenblum, & Muzik, ).…”