Professional Custom Writing Services By Skilled Graduate Writers

Place an order for your academic papers, assignments and study assistance. Our reliable paper writing service and research assignment help online ensures timely delivery of high-quality essays, answers, analysis and presentations, tailored to your specific course needs and requirements.

Adjustment and Attachment in Urban Children of Mothers with Substance Use, HIV, and Mental Health Problems

Posted: April 13th, 2023

Adjustment and Attachment in Urban Children of Mothers with Substance Use, HIV, and Mental Health Problems

The well-being of children depends largely on the quality of their attachment to their primary caregivers, usually their mothers. However, some mothers face multiple challenges that may impair their ability to provide adequate care and support for their children. These challenges include substance use, HIV infection, and mental health problems, which often co-occur and have negative impacts on maternal and child outcomes. This paper examines how these maternal factors affect the adjustment and attachment of urban children aged 6 to 11 years, who are at high risk of developmental and behavioral problems.

Substance use, HIV, and mental health problems are prevalent among low-income urban women, especially those from racial and ethnic minority groups. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2019, about 19.3% of women aged 18 or older living in poverty reported past year illicit drug use, compared to 7.7% of women living above the poverty level. Moreover, about 8.5% of women living in poverty reported past year serious mental illness, compared to 5.2% of women living above the poverty level (SAMHSA, 2020). Additionally, women accounted for 19% of the estimated 37.9 million people living with HIV globally in 2018, and most of them were from low- and middle-income countries (UNAIDS, 2019).

These maternal factors can have detrimental effects on children’s adjustment and attachment. Substance use can impair maternal functioning, judgment, and responsiveness, leading to inconsistent, neglectful, or abusive parenting behaviors (Conners et al., 2004). HIV infection can cause physical and psychological distress, stigma, and discrimination, affecting maternal well-being and availability for the child (Murphy et al., 2002). Mental health problems can interfere with maternal mood, cognition, and coping skills, resulting in emotional instability, irritability, or withdrawal from the child (Goodman et al., 2011). These adverse maternal conditions can disrupt the formation of a secure attachment bond between the mother and the child, which is essential for the child’s emotional regulation, social competence, and cognitive development (Bowlby, 1982).

Several studies have examined the effects of these maternal factors on children’s adjustment and attachment, but most of them have focused on one factor at a time or on specific populations (e.g., infants, adolescents). There is a need for more comprehensive and integrative research that considers the co-occurrence and interaction of these factors and their impact on urban children in middle childhood, a critical developmental period that has received less attention. Therefore, this paper aims to address the following research questions:

– How do substance use, HIV infection, and mental health problems affect maternal caregiving behaviors and quality of mother-child relationship?
– How do these maternal factors influence children’s adjustment outcomes, such as internalizing and externalizing problems, academic achievement, and peer relations?
– How do these maternal factors affect children’s attachment security and styles?
– How do children’s adjustment outcomes and attachment security mediate or moderate the relationship between maternal factors and mother-child relationship quality?

To answer these questions, this paper will review the relevant literature on each maternal factor and its impact on children’s adjustment and attachment. Then, it will present a conceptual framework that integrates these factors and their effects on mother-child relationship quality. Finally, it will discuss the implications of this framework for research and practice.

References

Bowlby, J. (1982). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment (2nd ed.). New York: Basic Books.

Conners, N. A., Bradley, R. H., Mansell, L. W., Liu, J. Y., Roberts, T. J., Burgdorf,
K., & Herrell,
J. M. (2004). Children of mothers with serious substance abuse problems: An accumulation of risks. The American Journal of Drug
and Alcohol Abuse,
30(1), 85-100.

Goodman,
S. H., Rouse,
M.
H., Connell,
A.
M., Broth,
M.
R., Hall,
C.
M., & Heyward,
D.
(2011). Maternal depression
and child psychopathology: A meta-analytic review.
Clinical Child
and Family Psychology Review,
14(1), 1-27.

Murphy,
D.
A.,
Marelich,
W.
D.,
Hoffman,
D.,
& Steers,
W.
N.
(2002). Health
status
of
HIV-positive
and
HIV-negative
mothers:
Implications
for
intervention.
Women & Health,
35(3), 39-54.

SAMHSA.
(2020).
Key substance use
and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
(HHS Publication No. PEP20-07-01-001, NSDUH Series H-55). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/

UNAIDS.
(2019).
UNAIDS
data
2019.
Geneva,
Switzerland:
UNAIDS.
Retrieved
from
https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2019/2019-UNAIDS-data

Tags: Custom Homework Writing Help & Assignment Answers Service, Do My Homework Fast App, Do your homework - pay for help, Help with all Assignment shark essay writing service

Expert paper writers are just a few clicks away

Place an order in 3 easy steps. Takes less than 5 mins.

Calculate the price of your order

You will get a personal manager and a discount.
We'll send you the first draft for approval by at
Total price:
$0.00

Why choose us, the 'writing bishops'?

Each Student Wants High Quality and That’s Our Focus

Skilled Essay Writers

An online hub of writing bishops' experts. We select the best qualified writers to join our team. These writers are recruited based on their college graduation grades, exceptional writing skills and ability to convey complex ideas in a clear manner. They each have expertise in specific topic fields and background in academic writing. This expertise enables them to provide well-researched and informative content that meets the highest standards.

Affordable Prices

In appreciation of the fact that our clients are majorly college and university students, we offer the lowest possible pricing while still providing the best writers. This approach ensures that our clients receive high-quality content and best coursework grades without breaking the bank. Our costs are fair and reasonable compared to other custom writing services in the market. As a result of maintaining the balance between affordability and quality, we have established ourselves as a reliable choice in the industry.

100% Plagiarism-Free

You will never receive a final paper that contains any plagiarism or AI use similarity index. Our team of professional writers and editors is dedicated to ensuring the originality of all content. We scan every final draft before releasing it to be delivered to a customer for submission in safeassign and turnitin. This rigorous process guarantees that the work meets the highest standards of academic integrity.