Child-Parent Relationships and Parents’ Preventive Behaviors Affecting the Onset of Substance Use in Children: My Family Study

Background: Considering the fundamental role that parents play in a family dynamic, it is important to explore the parent-child relationship and examine what protective behaviors or risk factors may contribute to the onset of substance use in children. Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the correlation between child-parent relationships and parents’ preventive behaviors and their effect on the onset of substance use in children. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in ۲۰۱۴ among ۲۳۴ randomly selected volunteer participants. These participants, who were all Tehran-based Iranian mothers, filled out a self-administered questionnaire in which they recorded: I-demographic information, II of family-based behaviors aimed at preventing the onset of substance use in children, and III of the child-parent relationship. Data were analyzed via SPSS software (ver. ۲۱.۰) using Pearson correlations, independent t-tests, and ANOVA at a ۹۵% significant level. Results: Results reported a negative significant correlation between conflict and closeness (r = -۰.۴۶۵, P ≥ ۰.۰۰۱), a positive significant correlation between closeness and preventive behaviors (r = ۰.۸۵۲, P ≥ ۰.۰۰۱), and a negative significant correlation between conflict and preventive behaviors (r = -۰.۶۰۵, P ≥ ۰.۰۰۱). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the development of preventive programs will contribute to increases in the child-mother closeness relationship and will help to prevent the onset of substance use in children.

Keywords:

Family , Cognitive Factors , Conflict , Closeness