Abstract
Although child neglect and substance abuse co-occur in greater than 60% of child protective service cases, intervention outcome studies are deplorably lacking. Therefore, a home-based Family Behavior Therapy is described in the treatment of a woman evidencing child neglect, substance dependence, domestic violence and other co-occurring problems. Treatment included contingency management, self control, stimulus control, communication and child management skills training exercises, and financial management components. Results indicated improvements in child abuse potential, home hazards, domestic violence, and drug use, which were substantiated by objective urinalysis testing, and tours of her home. Validity checks indicated the participant was being truthful in her responses to standardized questionnaires, and assessors were “blind” to study intent. Limitations (i.e., lack of experimental control and follow-up data collection) of this case example are discussed in light of these results.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abidin, R. (1995). Parenting stress index (3rd ed.). Lutz: Psychological Assessment Resources, Inc.
Azrin, N. H., Donohue, B., Besalel, V., Kogan, E., & Acierno, R. (1994a). Youth drug abuse treatment: a controlled outcome study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 3, 1–16.
Azrin, N. H., McMahon, P., Donohue, B., Besalel, V., Lapinski, K., Kogan, E., et al. (1994b). Behavior therapy of drug abuse: a controlled outcome study. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 857–866.
Azrin, N., Acierno, R., Kogan, E. S., Donohue, B., Besalel, V., & McMahon, P. T. (1996). Follow-up results of supportive versus behavioral therapy for illicit drug use. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 34, 41–46.
Azrin, N. H., Donohue, B., Teichner, G., Crum, T., Howell, J., & DeCato, L. (2001). A controlled evaluation and description of individual-cognitive problem solving and family-behavioral therapies in conduct-disordered and substance dependent youth. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse, 11, 1–43.
DeBernardo, G. L., Newcomb, M., Toth, A., Richey, G., & Mendoza, R. (2002). Comorbid psychiatric and alcohol abuse/dependence disorders: psychosocial stress, abuse, and personal history factors of those in treatment. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 21(3), 43–59.
Donohue, B. & Van Hasselt, V. B. (1999). Development of an ecobehavioral treatment program for child maltreatment. Behavioral Interventions, 14, 55–82.
First, M. B., Spitzer, R. L., Gibbon, M., & Williams, J. B. W. (2002). Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV-TR axis I disorders, research version, patient edition. (SCID-I/P). New York: Biometrics Research, New York State Psychiatric Institute.
Lutzker, J. R. & Rice, J. M. (1984). Project 12-Ways: measuring outcome of a large in-home service for treatment and prevention of child abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 8(4), 519–524.
Milner, J. S. (1986). The Child abuse potential inventory: Manual (2nd ed.). Webster: Psytec, Webster, NC.
Moos, R. & Moos, B. (1984). Family environment scale. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists.
National clearinghouse on child abuse and neglect information (2003). Substance abuse and child maltreatment. Retrieved on 5/14/05 from http://nccanch.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/factsheets/subabuse_childmalt.cfm.
Sobell, M. B., Sobell, L. C., Klajner, F., Pavan, D., & Basian, E. (1986). The reliability of the timeline method of assessing normal drinker college students' recent drinking history: utility for alcohol research. Addictive Behaviors, II, 149–162.
Stuart, G. L., Moore, T. M., Ramsey, S. E., & Kahler, C. W. (2003). Relationship aggression and substance use among women court-referred to domestic violence intervention programs. Interpersonal Violence and Substance Use, 28(9), 1603–1610.
Teringer, D. A., Greene, B. F., & Lutzker, J. R. (1984). Home safety: development and evaluation of one component of an ecobehavioral treatment program for abused and neglected children. Journal of Applied Analysis, 17, 159–174.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration Children, Youth and Families. (2006). Child maltreatment 2004. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
Acknowledgments
This article was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (1R01DA020548-01A1) to the second author.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Romero, V., Donohue, B. & Allen, D.N. Treatment of Concurrent Substance Dependence, Child Neglect and Domestic Violence: A Single Case Examination Involving Family Behavior Therapy. J Fam Viol 25, 287–295 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-009-9291-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-009-9291-y