The influence of substance abuse on families, specifically when the father is involved, is a matter of significant concern. To delve deeper into this issue, the present study employs Family Systems Theory to explore the intricate dynamics between addiction, fatherhood and family relationships during substance abuse treatment. Authors conducted 6-months desk based study to examine studies related to family and fathers dealing with substance misuse to assess the role played by fathers in this context and examine how their therapeutic interventions impact emotional systems within their families. The results suggest that a considerable proportion of men undergoing therapy are fathers who had previously taken part in their families' daily lives. This emphasizes how family dynamics are interconnected and how families encounter many complex difficulties when a father undergoes substance abuse treatment. The research also stresses the significance of adopting comprehensive care strategies that cater to addiction and simultaneously strengthen familial relationships throughout the recovery phase, highlighting the importance of incorporating family-oriented aspects into substance abuse therapies.
Ahnert, L., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. (2020). Fathers from an attachment perspective. Attachment and Human Development, 22(1), 1-3.
Cabrera, N. J. (2020). Father involvement, father-child relationship, and attachment in the early years. Attachment and Human Development, 22(1), 134-138.
Caponnetto, P., Triscari, C., & Maglia, M. (2020). Living fatherhood in adults addicted to substances: A qualitative study of fathers in psycho-rehabilitative drug addiction treatment for heroin and cocaine. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 1051.
Collins, C. C., Grella, C. E., & Hser, Y. I. (2003). Effects of gender and level of parental involvement among parents in drug treatment. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 29, 237-261.
Cowan, C. P., & Cowan, P. A. (2019). Enhancing parenting effectiveness, fathers' involvement, couple relationship quality, and children's development: Breaking down silos in family policy making and service delivery. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 11(1), 92-111.
Enos, G. (2020). With SAMHSA out of picture, advocates hope to identify Recovery Month funder. Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 32(39), 1-8.
Fitzgerald, M., London?Johnson, A., & Gallus, K. L. (2020). Intergenerational transmission of trauma and family systems theory: An empirical investigation. Journal of Family Therapy, 42(3), 406-424.
Li, X. (2020). Fathers’ involvement in Chinese societies: Increasing presence, uneven progress. Child Development Perspectives, 14(3), 150-156.
Lowell, A. F., Suchman, N. E., Byatt, N., Feinberg, E., Friedmann, P. D., & Peacock?Chambers, E. (2023). Parental substance use and home visiting programs: Implementation considerations for relationship?based treatment. Infant Mental Health Journal, 44(2), 166-183.
Miller, H. V., & Lopez, K. M. (2022). The Role of the Criminal Justice System in Substance Abuse Treatment. Handbook of Issues in Criminal Justice Reform in the United States, 559-580.
Palkovitz, R. (2019). Expanding our focus from father involvement to father–child relationship quality. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 11(4), 576-591.
Paquette, C. E., Daughters, S. B., & Witkiewitz, K. (2022). Expanding the continuum of substance use disorder treatment: Nonabstinence approaches. Clinical Psychology Review, 91, 102110.
Pruett, M. K., Cowan, P. A., Cowan, C. P., Gillette, P., & Pruett, K. D. (2019). Supporting father involvement: An intervention with community and child welfare–referred couples. Family Relations, 68(1), 51-67.
Waters, L. (2020). Using positive psychology interventions to strengthen family happiness: A family systems approach. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(5), 645-652.
Wilson, S., & Rhee, S. H. (2022). Causal effects of cannabis legalization on parents, parenting, and children: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 156, 106956.
Witkiewitz, K., Pfund, R. A., & Tucker, J. A. (2022). Mechanisms of behavior change in substance use disorder with and without formal treatment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 18, 497-525.
