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ABSTRACT: Background
The quality of caregiving in mothers with substance abuse problems appears to be compromised. However, divergent findings, methodological variability, and sample characteristics point to the need for research synthesis.Methods
A comprehensive systematic search was undertaken. Studies were eligible if they (1) compared substance-misusing mothers with non-substance-misusing mothers, (2) involved children from birth to 3 years, and (3) maternal sensitivity and child responsiveness were measured using observational methodology.Results
A global meta-analysis for maternal sensitivity (n = 24 studies) and child responsiveness (n = 16 studies) on 3433 mother-infant dyads yielded significant population effect sizes and significant heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses found reduced heterogeneity when the meta-analysis was conducted on studies where groups were matched on key demographic characteristics; although the effect size was small, it was still significant for maternal sensitivity but not child responsiveness.Conclusions
Compromised quality of caregiving is found in high-risk, substance-misusing mothers, emphasising the importance of early intervention that draws from attachment-based interventions.
SUBMITTER: Hatzis D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5398331 | biostudies-literature | 2017
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Hatzis Denise D Dawe Sharon S Harnett Paul P Barlow Jane J
Substance abuse : research and treatment 20170314
<h4>Background</h4>The quality of caregiving in mothers with substance abuse problems appears to be compromised. However, divergent findings, methodological variability, and sample characteristics point to the need for research synthesis.<h4>Methods</h4>A comprehensive systematic search was undertaken. Studies were eligible if they (1) compared substance-misusing mothers with non-substance-misusing mothers, (2) involved children from birth to 3 years, and (3) maternal sensitivity and child respo ...[more]