Parenting attitudes and behaviors among parents involved with the child welfare system and affected by substance use disorders

Abstract

Background: Co-occurring parental substance use and child maltreatment is a serious concern in the U.S child welfare system.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine parenting attitudes and practices among parents who participated in Ohio START (Sobriety, Treatment, And Reducing Trauma), a statewide initiative that provides support to families affected by co-occurring parental substance use and child maltreatment.

Participants and setting: Study 1 involved quantitative data collected from 73 enrolled parents through pre-test and post-test telephone surveys. Study 2 (parent interviews) involved qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with 34 enrolled parents.

Methods: The paired-sample t-test and the McNemar test were conducted in Study 1 and thematic analysis was conducted in Study 2.

Results: Quantitative analysis indicated significant improvements in parental expectations of children (t = -3.42, p = .001, Cohen's d = -0.40), parent-child family roles (t = -5.74, p < .001, Cohen's d = -0.67), and children's power and independence (t = -3.42, p = .001, Cohen's d = -0.40). Qualitative analysis revealed six themes related to changes in parenting after participation in Ohio START: (1) Being present for children, (2) Engaging in activities with children, (3) Enjoyment in providing care to children, (4) Maintaining employment for financial stability, (5) Better emotion regulation and stress management, and (6) a sense of pride.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate positive changes in parenting attitudes and practices among parents who participated in Ohio START and provide further support for the potential merits of this model and its continued expansion throughout Ohio.

Keywords: Child maltreatment; Child welfare; Parental substance use; Parenting attitudes; START.