ADDICTION RECOVERY FOR LOW-INCOME PREGNANT AND PARENTING WOMEN - A PROCESS OF BECOMING

A naturalistic field study of low-income women (N = 17) in an intensiv e outpatient addiction recovery program addressed the question: What i s the nature of addiction recovery for pregnant and parenting-women in an addiction treatment program? Grounded theory methodology was used to determine the nature of the interpersonal and social processes that define addiction recovery for women in this study, Over 2 years, audi otaped semi-structured interviews, document reviews of medical records , treatment progress and group therapy notes, and participant observat ion notes were collected and analyzed. The constant comparison method of analysis involved an ongoing process of theoretical sampling, memoi ng, and open and then axial coding to identify, group, link, and reduc e the categories produced. A developmental model of addiction recovery in pregnant and parenting women emerged that consisted of the dimensi ons of becoming drug and alcohol free, a partner in a relationship, a person, and a parent. These four dimensions parallel and transform eac h other, yielding different outcomes but similar patterns over time. T his model of addiction recovery provides a beginning framework for und erstanding the transactional nature of addiction recovery for low-inco me women who are adapting to a drug and alcohol-free lifestyle and the task and role of parenting a newborn. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saun ders Company.