Treatment Retention in Women's Residential Chemical Dependency Treatment: The Effect of Admission with Children

Abstract

In the United States there has been an increased interest in the development of treatment programs that admit chemically dependent women with their children. The Salvation Army Family Treatment Services in Honolulu, Hawaii has had a long history of admitting women both with and without their children to long-term residential treatment. This has provided an opportunity to study the differences in treatment retention between these two groups. Subjects were 130 females who participated in treatment between 1988 and 1993. Analyses were conducted to determine whether there were different outcomes for women with children in treatment and women without children in treatment, with regard to type of discharge and length of time in treatment. Results were significant and clearly indicated better retention rates for women who participated in treatment with their children.

Substance abuse treatment entry, retention, and outcome in women: A review of the literature

“…The results showed that the women who retained their children remained in residential treatment significantly longer than the other women. This finding was confirmed in a quasi-experimental study: women who participated in residential treatment with children had higher retention rates than women without children in treatment (Szuster et al, 1996).…”

“…This project found that the women were significantly more likely to complete the women-focused intensive day program than those who attended a residential program for women and their children or a traditional residential program (Roberts and Nishimoto, 1996). Within residential programs, however, policies allowing children to accompany their mothers in treatment have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on treatment retention (Hughes et al, 1995;Szuster et al, 1996). A randomized trial of female cocaine-abusing patients assigned women to the experimental condition, in which one or two of the children joined the woman in residential treatment, or the control condition of placing the children with a caregiver outside the therapeutic community (Hughes et al, 1995).…”

“…While mixed-gender samples allow for examination of gender-specific predictors of retention, a number of studies have examined predictors of retention among women-only samples (Brown et al, 1995;Davis, 1994;Hughes et al, 1995;Huselid et al, 1999;Haller and Miles, 2004;Kelly et al, 2001;Knight et al, 1999;Loneck et al, 1997;Stahler et al, 2005;Szuster et al, 1996). Research using women-only samples has found associations between certain patient characteristics (e.g., psychological function, personal stability and social support, levels of anger, treatment beliefs, and referral source) and rates of retention and completion.…”

The impact of foster care and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) on women's drug treatment outcomes

“…The study used a nondirectional hypothesis since this was an exploratory study. While most studies indicate that women who have their children with them in treatment were likely to complete treatment (Hughes, Coletti, Neri, Urmann, 1995;Knight, Logan, & Simpson, 2001;Nishimoto & Roberts, 2001;Stahl, Sicillian, & Anthony, 1995;Szuster, Rich, Chung, & Bisconer;Strantz, & Welch, 1995), at least one study suggests that women who had custody of their children and who had significant child care responsibilities were less likely to complete treatment (Knight, Logan, & Simpson, 1999). Further, much of the relevant TANF research is descriptive, and there is little research that assesses the impact of receiving TANF cash benefits on women's drug treatment outcomes (Gutman, Ketterling & McLellan 2003;Keesee & Williams, 1997;Montoya, Atkinson & Struse, 2001).…”

The Effects of Peer Teaching of Infant Massage on General Self-Efficacy and Mother Infant Attachment Among Mothers in a Residential Rehabilitation Facility for Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

“…Women who have their infant/children during treatment tend to remain in treatment longer and have improved outcomes (Ashley, Marsden & Brady, 2003;Hughes et al, 1995;Szuster, Rich, Chung & Bisconer 1996;Wobie, Eyler, Conlon, Clarke & Behnke, 1997). Providing parenting skills improves the ID/SA mothers' parenting attitude and knowledge, self-esteem that affects maternal-child interaction and yield healthier infants/children (Camp & Finkelstein, 1997;Christensen, Brayden, Dietrich, McLaughlin, Sherrod & Altimer, 1994).…”