Maternal Reflective Functioning, Parental Beliefs, and Parenting Stress of Mothers in a Residential Treatment Program

Maternal Reflective Functioning, Parental Beliefs, and Parenting Stress of Mothers in a Residential Treatment Program Kathleen Pitts, PhD The University of Texas Medical Branch, 2017

Mothers with a history of substance-use are at risk for maladaptive parenting. This population of women living with their children during a residential substance-use treatment program are at high risk not to complete the program, to undergo substantial emotional and physical changes immediately prior to admission, and to have multiple new responsibilities during the first ten days of the initial admission period. It is important for researchers to understand how maternal attributes (e.g., parenting stress [PS], parental beliefs [PB], maternal reflective functioning [MRF]) and characteristics interact during the early phase of admission for substance-use treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether: (1) mothers of infants or toddlers admitted to a residential treatment program for substance-use differed on PS, PB, and MRF; and (2) MRF was influenced by PS, PB, and demographic characteristics of mother or child. A descriptive explanatory design was used to study 39 mothers and their children in two intensive residential substance-use treatment programs. Parental Development Interview, Parenting Stress Index-SF, Concepts of Development Questionnaire, and a demographic form were used to gather data on maternal attributes and characteristics. No significant relationship was found between PB and MRF with a trend toward significance between PS and MRF during the first 10 days following mothers’ admission to the program. Moreover, MRF, PS, and PB did not differ based on child (infant/toddler) and cocaine/no-cocaine groups; and PS, PB, age of child, and drug of choice were not predictive of MRF.