Perinatal crack users becoming temperant: the social psychological processes

Area of Science:

• Perinatal addiction research
• Substance abuse in pregnancy
• Qualitative health research

Background:

• Illicit drug use among pregnant women significantly impacts infant mortality.
• An estimated 269,000 pregnant women reported illicit drug use in 1994-1995.
• Understanding the experiences of addicted pregnant women is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of pregnant women using crack cocaine.
• To develop a grounded theory explaining how these women manage to stay clean.
• To identify implications for improved treatment and future research.

Main Methods:

• Grounded theory method was employed.
• Feminist perspective guided the analysis.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 women in a psychiatric-obstetrical clinic.

Main Results:

• The core social-psychological problem identified was 'staying clean'.
• The central process discovered was 'becoming temperate', describing how women achieve and maintain abstinence.
• This theory offers a nuanced understanding of perinatal addiction recovery.

Conclusions:

• The theory of temperance provides a framework for understanding perinatal crack cocaine users' recovery journeys.
• Findings suggest a need for tailored treatment programs that address the social-psychological aspects of addiction.
• Further research is recommended to validate and expand upon these findings in diverse populations.