Title
Engagement in Early Intervention Services Among Mothers in Recovery From Opioid Use Disorders
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Psychiatry; Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center
Publication Date
2020-02-01
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Maternal and Child Health | Pediatrics | Psychiatry | Psychiatry and Psychology | Substance Abuse and Addiction | Women's Health
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Opioid-exposed infants frequently qualify for early intervention (EI). However, many eligible families choose not to enroll in this voluntary service. This study aims to understand the perceptions and experiences that may impact engagement with, and the potential benefits of, EI services among mothers in recovery from opioid use disorders (OUDs).
METHODS: We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews (n = 22) and 1 focus group (n = 6) with mothers in recovery from OUDs in western Massachusetts. Transcripts were coded and analyzed by using a descriptive approach.
RESULTS: The mean participant age was 32 years, and 13 had a high school degree or less. Five major themes emerged revealing mothers' development through stages of engagement in EI services: (1) fear, guilt, and shame related to drug use (emotions acting as barriers to enrollment); (2) the question of whether it is "needed" (deciding whether there is value in EI for opioid-exposed infants); (3) starting with "judgment" (baseline level of perceived stigma that parents in recovery associate with EI); (4) breaking down the "wall" (how parents overcome the fear and perceived judgment to build partnerships with providers); and (5) "above and beyond" (need for a personal connection with mothers and concrete supports through EI in addition to the child-focused services provided).
CONCLUSIONS: Barriers to engagement in EI among mothers in recovery from OUDs include a range of emotions, perceived stigma, and ambivalence. An effort to purposefully listen to and care for mothers through a strengths-based, bigenerational approach may help establish greater connections and foster stronger EI engagement among families affected by OUDs.
DOI of Published Version
10.1542/peds.2019-1957
Source
Pediatrics. 2020 Feb;145(2). pii: peds.2019-1957. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1957. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Pediatrics
Related Resources
PubMed ID
31992649
Repository Citation
Peacock-Chambers E, Feinberg E, Senn-McNally M, Clark MC, Jurkowski B, Suchman NE, Byatt N, Friedmann PD. (2020). Engagement in Early Intervention Services Among Mothers in Recovery From Opioid Use Disorders. Psychiatry Publications. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-1957. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/psych_pp/927