The impact of bonding history and social networks on parenting competence among mothers with substance dependence or co-occurring disorders

Approximately 9.4% of American women seek substance abuse treatment annually (SAMHSA, 2005). Many are mothers of children under the age of 18, and are much more likely than men with SUDs to live with their children and without another adult in the home (SAMHSA, 2009). This study examined the relationship between maternal bonding history, using the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and parenting efficacy and satisfaction, using the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC); and between bonding history and status of children, among mothers with substance use disorders and co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. This study also examined the direct effects of social network variables on parenting efficacy, parenting satisfaction, and status of children.;The sample consisted of 158 substance dependent or dually diagnosed mothers; 62% were Black; 89.9% were unemployed, and 72.1% received some form of public assistance. Women reported having between 1 and 11 children and 45.6% of had at least one child in the legal custody of someone else and 46.6% had at least one child living with someone else.;Bivariate correlations showed no significant relationships between mother's bonding history and perceived parenting efficacy or satisfaction; but did show significant relationships between bonding history and status of children. However, these relationships lost significance in the final regression models. Lower violence exposure predicted greater parenting Efficacy in the final regression model. Being non-black, having a high school education or higher, and fewer number of problems with children predicted greater parenting Satisfaction. Greater number of children in the 6--17 age category predicted a greater likelihood of at least one child living with someone other than mother and at least one child being in the legal custody of someone other than mother. Social network variables were not found to be significant mediators in this sample. However, direct effects of social network variables were observed.;Implications for practice include utilizing social network characteristics as a focus for intervention with this population. Future research should examine other predictors of parenting competence in this population, as well as the relationship between perceived parenting competence and actual parenting behaviors.