title: Suicidal Ideation Among Heroin-Abusing Mothers in Methadone Maintenance Treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a dearth of information about mothers in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), their parental stress, and suicidal ideation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate parenting stress and suicidal ideation among heroin-dependent mothers in MMT.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at an MMT center. Inclusion criteria were mothers with at least one child between 6-12 years of age. Mothers (n = 41) were interviewed about their background characteristics, drug use, parenting stress, and suicide ideation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mothers' median age was 44 (27-63 years), 35% were single, 20% married or with a partner, 45% separated or divorced, 83% were Jewish, and about one-third completed elementary school only. Among the study participants, 52% reported ever thinking about suicide, 28% reported past-year ideation, and 15% indicated they were likely to complete suicide someday. Mothers who have used heroin and cannabis reported high levels of parenting stress. Mothers with high parenting stress levels were more likely to report suicidal ideation. Country of origin status did not differentiate those interviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides insight into a hard-to-reach population of mothers needing treatment, parental skills training, and mental stress reduction. Further research is needed to generalize the findings for treatment, education, and training purposes.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Orly
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sarid
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.|2 Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Isralowitz
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Mor
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yehudai
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Social Work, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.|2 Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reznik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone
keywords: heroin addiction; methadone maintenance treatment; mothers; parenting stress; suicidal ideation