The Relationship between CPS Involvement, Intrinsic Motivation, and Substance Abuse Treatment Dropout for Mothers of Minor Children

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether child protective service involvement (CPS) had an effect on motivation for substance abuse treatment and treatment completion after controlling for factors that have previously demonstrated an empirical relationship. Referral to treatment from coercive sources (legal, formal, and informal) is related to measures of motivation, but equivocate in regards to treatment completion (Burke & Gregoire, 2007; DiClemente, Bellino, & Neavins, 1999; O'Hare, 1996; Polcin & Beattie, 2006). The majority of the research has been done on men, or without regard for gender, and court or employer referral. Little research has examined CPS involvement and women.

Hypothesis: It was expected that:

1) Parenting stress variables of single parenting, number of children, living with a substance abuser, and loss of child custody would be negatively related to motivation.

2) Frequency of substance use, prior treatment, drug use and co-occurring mental health problems would be positively related to motivation.

3) Age would be positively related to motivation. It was unknown what effect race would have, as previous studies indicate that the effects of race may be dependent on other factors.

4) Intrinsic motivation would have a negative relationship to treatment dropout.

5) Variable representing the extent of actual volitional control, frequency of substance use, prior treatment, drug use, and co-occurring mental health problems, would be positively related to treatment dropout.

Methods: This investigation is a secondary analysis of the New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System (NJ-SAMS) dataset of all female clients who both entered and exited substance abuse treatment services at a Northern New Jersey hospital between January, 1, 2004 and May 31, 2007. Path analysis was utilized to examine the relationships between CPS involvement, parenting stressors, addiction problems, intrinsic motivation, and substance abuse treatment dropout for mothers of minor children.

Key Findings: CPS involvement had a unique negative relationship (ß = -.081, p = .039) to intrinsic motivation in the path model. Frequency of use (ß = .337, p < .0005), prior treatment (ß = .178, p < .0005), single parenting (ß = -.135, p < .0005), mental health problems (ß = .095, p = .014) and age (ß = .086, p = .025) were also associated with intrinsic motivation. CPS involvement had the weakest effect on intrinsic motivation. These six variables explained 25% of the variance in intrinsic motivation. Living with a substance abuser (ß = -.135, p = .022), loss of custody (ß = .108, p = .004) and mental health (ß = .094, p = .025) were significantly associated with treatment dropout, in descending effect size. These three variables explained 3% of the variance in treatment dropout.

Implications: Motivation is malleable and research on motivational interventions and innovative partnerships between treatment providers and CPS workers will be discussed.