title: A grounded theory of balancing alcohol recovery and pregnancy.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore women's concurrent experiences of alcohol/drug recovery and transition to parenthood. The study used a qualitative design to explore and understand women's experiences of recovery from alcohol/drug dependence during pregnancy. Eleven women, who self-identified as recovering alcoholics/addicts and either were pregnant or had infants younger than 12 months of age, participated in the study. Balancing emerged as the core concept, a process that explained how women successfully integrated the recovery and motherhood processes into their identity. The women used strategies learned in the process of alcohol/drug recovery to balance between alcohol/drug recovery and motherhood. They used the strategies in unique ways during pregnancy to incorporate the developmental and relational aspects of both advancing in motherhood and maintaining recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Boise State University, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brudenell
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003289:Convalescence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires