Say it Straight Training with Mothers in Chemical Dependency Treatment

• NCJ Number: 197989
• Journal: Journal of Offender Rehabilitation Volume: 35 Issue: 1 Dated: 2002 Pages: 1-22
• Author(s): Paula Englander-Golden; Elizabeth Gitchel; Craig E. Henderson; David E. Golden; Rebecca Hardy
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 22 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article evaluates the effectiveness of Say It Straight communication training for mothers in chemical dependency treatment.

Abstract

Recent studies show that treatment retention improved when specialized intervention was provided for pregnant substance abusing women, such as focusing on the mother’s role as parent and applying gender-based theories. This study tested a treatment component, Say It Straight Training (SIS) with addicted mothers in long-term residential treatment with their children. SIS promotes behavioral change through communication skills training, helping participants to connect to and integrate their internal resources and deepest longings and give their longings expression in appropriate ways. Thirty-six mothers in residential chemical dependency treatment were studied. All were indigent, 32 had previous criminal offenses, and 14 were on probation or parole at the time of treatment. Three objective questionnaires were administered before and after training of the first three groups of mothers: the Quality of Life Questionnaire, the SIS Communication Skills Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results show that the use of SIS training resulted in significant increases in self-reports of empowering behaviors, quality of family and group life and self-esteem, and significant decreases in disempowering behaviors among mothers in chemical dependency treatment. Prior to training, the mothers that had been in treatment for a much longer time reported better communication skills and quality of family life than those that had been in treatment for a shorter time. This suggests that treatment alone had a positive effect. SIS training improved all measured variables for both groups of mothers, suggesting that SIS training is useful at any time in treatment because it enhances skills and attributes needed in all aspects of life. After all mothers had 10 to 16 hours of SIS training, significant differences were not found between the 40-day group and the 141-day group on variables for which there were significant differences prior to training. 6 tables, 36 references