Impact of heroin dependence on attachment behavior and school adaptation in children

Abstract

This study looked at a group of heroin dependent mothers and their children until 10 years old and a control group of mothers and children from the general population, which excluded maternal heroin dependence by clinical criteria and included children of the same age group. The goal was to assess the impact of maternal heroin dependence on the kind of attachment behavior between mother and child and the child's social/school adaptation. The research determined the characteristics of sociodemographic factors, the family, pregnancy and childbirth, the child at birth, the early mother-child relationship, the child's school adaptation and directly observed dyads of mothers with children until 5 years old. The obtained results showed significant differences between groups and revealed a significant association between maternal heroin dependence and insecure attachment behavior.