title: An early report on the mother-baby interactive capacity of substance-abusing mothers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examination of maternal interactive behavior and psychosocial situation of substance-abusing mothers in treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve mothers with an alcohol or drug abuse problem and 12 control mothers were assessed in random order with the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment, for the analysis of videotaped mother-infant interactions at 3 and 6 months' postpartum. Depressive symptoms were assessed with Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and aspects of social support with two Social Support Questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Substance-abusing mothers tended to have more problematic areas in their interactive behavior, a tendency which increased during the study period. As was expected, they were more often depressive, and experienced more social environment difficulties and less social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mothers with alcohol and drug abuse problems need intensive professional support in early motherhood, and are seen to be particularly motivated to strive for abstinence and accept help at this stage of life.
authors: Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, 20520, Turku, Finland. olpaju@utu.fi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pajulo
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Savonlahti
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sourander
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Ahlqvist
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Helenius
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Piha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*