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Relational Psychotherapy Mothers' Group: A randomized clinical trial for substance abusing mothers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 January 2007

SUNIYA S. LUTHAR ,
NANCY E. SUCHMAN  and
MICHELLE ALTOMARE
SUNIYA S. LUTHAR
Affiliation:
Teachers College, Columbia University
NANCY E. SUCHMAN
Affiliation:
Teachers College, Columbia University
MICHELLE ALTOMARE
Affiliation:
Teachers College, Columbia University
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effectiveness of the Relational Psychotherapy Mothers' Group (RPMG), a supportive parenting group intervention for substance abusing women. Sixty mothers receiving RPMG were compared to 67 women receiving recovery training (RT); both treatments supplemented treatment in the methadone clinics. At the end of the 6-month treatment period, RPMG mothers showed marginally significant improvement on child maltreatment (self-reported) and cocaine abuse based on urinalyses when compared with RT mothers; notably, children of RPMG mothers reported significantly greater improvement in emotional adjustment and depression than children of RT mothers. At 6 months follow-up, however, treatment gains were no longer apparent. Overall, the findings suggest that whereas supportive parenting interventions for substance abusing women do have some preventive potential, abrupt cessation of the therapeutic program could have deleterious consequences.Preparation of the manuscript was funded in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (RO1-DA10726, RO1-DA11498, R01-DA14385, and K23DA14606), the William T. Grant Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation.

Type
Research Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 2007 , pp. 243 - 261
Copyright
© 2007 Cambridge University Press

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