Predicting functional resilience among young-adult children of opiate-dependent parents

This study describes the adversities experienced by a sample of children of opiate-dependent parents, examines criteria for young adulthood functional resilience, and tests parent, child, and school predictors of resilience.

The Focus on Families (FOF) project was a randomized trial of a family-focused intervention with opiate-dependent individuals in methadone treatment and their children. Analyses were conducted on data from the children in treatment and control families during the original study (1991-1995) and a long-term follow-up interview (2005-2006).

Although all participants had an opiate-dependent parent, 70% experienced two or more additional types of childhood adversity and 20% experienced four or more types. A total of 24% met the following three criteria for functional resilience at the time of their young-adult interview: (1) working or being enrolled in school, (2) no history of substance abuse or dependence, and (3) no adult criminal charges in the prior 5 years. The FOF intervention did not significantly predict functional resilience. Girls were approximately four times more likely to exhibit resilience than boys. Experiencing a wider range of adversities in addition to having an opiate-dependent parent did not reduce the likelihood of functional resilience. Of the five child, family, and school predictors tested, only externalizing or internalizing problems in childhood were significantly associated with the likelihood of functional resilience (odds ratio = .30, p = .04) as a young adult.

These findings suggest that early intervention with families with opiate-dependent parents to prevent and reduce internalizing and externalizing problems in their children holds the most promise of supporting resilient adaptation in early adulthood.