Substance abuse and family relationships of persons with severe mental illness.
OBJECTIVE
The authors sought to determine how substance abuse affects family relationships of persons with severe mental illness.


METHODS
Patient reports of family relationships were compared between 101 psychiatric inpatients with a concurrent substance use disorder and 78 subjects with severe mental illness only.


RESULTS
Patients with comorbid substance abuse reported significantly lower family satisfaction and a greater desire for family treatment. Objective indicators of frequency of family contact did not differ.


CONCLUSIONS
Substance abuse is associated with low levels of satisfaction with family relationships among persons with severe mental illness. Family interventions would meet the stated needs of persons with mental illness and a comorbid substance use disorder and might help to engage them in treatment.
Dixon
L
L
Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201.
McNary
S
S
Lehman
A
A
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005190:Family; D005196:Family Therapy; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*