Mother-infant consultation during drug treatment: Research and innovative clinical practice

CF Zachariah Boukydis¹ and Barry M Lester²

¹Erikson Institute, 420 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60611-5627, USA

²Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Women and Infants Hospital, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA

author email corresponding author email

Harm Reduction Journal 2008, 5:6doi:10.1186/1477-7517-5-6


Published:	6 February 2008

Abstract

Background

This paper details a model for consulting with mothers and infants, and drug treatment staff used in a residential drug treatment program and relevant to other treatment settings. The role of parent-infant consultation based on the Neonatal Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) was evaluated.

Methods

A sequential cohort model was used to assign participants to 1. NNNS consultation versus 2. standard care. The effects of NNNS consultation were evaluated using the Parenting Stress Index and NNNS summary scores.

Results

Participants in the NNNS consultation condition had significantly less stress overall, and less stress related to infant behavior than participants in standard care. There were no differences in infant behavior on the NNNS Summary scores.

Conclusion

The implications for NNNS consultation in drug treatment programs is outlined. The importance of prevention/intervention to establish satisfactory mother-infant interaction in recovery programs which include a central parenting component is indicated.