A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Parents With Substance Use Disorder in the Holding Tight Treatment System: Intervention Effectiveness and Moderating Effects;




AuthorsSalo, Saara j.; Flykt, Marjo; Li, Yan; Kalland, Mirjam; Pajulo, Marjukka

PublisherWiley

Publication year2026

Journal: Child and Family Social Work

Article numbercfs.70152

ISSN1356-7500

eISSN1365-2206

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.70152

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.70152

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523590228

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

Parents with substance use disorder have multiple risks affecting their parenting. Mental health problems and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with problems in emotion regulation and adult attachment insecurity may impair the early interaction with the infant. An intensive treatment programme, Holding Tight, has been developed in Finland since the 1990s. It integrates social work and psychological interventions with mental health prevention. The aim here was to evaluate changes in parenting and parental well-being from pretreatment to post-treatment and a 6-month follow-up. We further examined the moderating effects of parental ACEs and duration of treatment. Participants were 66 Finnish mothers and 23 fathers, 42.7% entering treatment prenatally and the rest postnatally with their infants (M age = 5.43 months, SD = 10.02). Parents completed standardized self-report questionnaires. The results show improvements in child involvement, maternal own attachment insecurity and depressive symptoms and emotion regulation. However, the results also show that mothers with higher ACEs had more depressive symptoms and showed more decrease during and more increase after treatment. Additionally, mothers with longer treatment showed more decrease in attachment anxiety and more increase in child involvement. We discuss how these results may bear significance in the future implementation of comprehensive treatment models.



Keywords:
integrative treatmentparentingSubstance use disorder

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Funding information in the publication
This study was supported by the Gyllenberg Foundation.


Last updated on 15/06/2026 01:35:20 PM