Me & my family: a programme for children and parents in families with parental substance use problems – an outcome study

Figures & data

Table 1. An overview of the Me & my family programme.

Session	Content
Pre-session	Information about the programme
1	Mini-lectures about the brain and how addiction develops
2	How addiction develops, continued
3	How addiction affects the family and its members
4	How addiction affects the family, continued
5	Communication within the family The importance of fair communication
6	Me, in my home, working for change
7	Security plan: Where and to whom do I turn for help if I need it?
8	Wrap-up
Post-sessions six weeks and three months post-intervention	Follow-up

Table 2. Participant characteristics, and comparison between those completing and those dropping out of the intervention in terms of characteristics and baseline measures.

	Participated n = 41 children; n = 48 parents	Drop-outs n = 18 children; n = 19 parents	Statistics
Gender, children (females)	55.3%	50.0%	χ^2 = 0.14; p = 0.712
Gender, parents (females)	52.1%	47.4%	χ^2 = 0.12; p = 0.728
Age child, mean (SD) parent, mean (SD)	11.15 (3.84) 41.38 (9.08)	11.22 (3.32) 40.89 (7.08)	t = 0.73; p = 0.942 t = 0.21; p = 0.837
School participation, child	100%	90%	χ^2 = 3.08; p = 0.079
Occupation (work, student, parental leave), parent	61.5%	66.7%	χ^2 = 0.10; p = 0.748
Previous treatment for substance use problems	62.4%	65.5%	χ^2 = 0.09; p = 0.760
Family climate ^a Closeness child, mean (SD) parent, mean (SD) Distance child, mean (SD) parent, mean (SD) Spontaneity child, mean (SD) parent, mean (SD) Chaos child, mean (SD) parent, mean (SD)	1.72 (0.80) 1.58 (0.74) 0.44 (0.56) 0.26 (0.48) 1.03 (0.82) 0.97 (0.93) 0.86 (1.16) 1.12 (1.07)	1.30 (0.79) 1.59 (0.85) 0.30 (0.41) 0.20 (0.27) 1.40 (1.03) 1.32 (0.97) 1.29 (0.83) 1.10 (1.43)	t = 1.21; p = 0.238 t = 0.64; p = 0.949 t = 0.58; p = 0.565 t = 0.49; p = 0.623 t = 0.98; p = 0.335 t = 1.34; p = 0.187 t = 0.91; p = 0.370 t = 0.37; p = 0.971
Mental health, child^,b mean (SD)	13.13 (5.00)	13.38 (6.90)	t = 0.14; p = 0.889
Emotional problems, parental^,c mean (SD)	12.25 (6.37)	11.67 (7.87)	t = 0.31; p = 0.761
Alcohol use, parental^,d mean (SD)	3.87 (3.06)	3.67 (2.57)	t = 0.25; p = 0.801
Drug use, parental^,e mean (SD)	3.82 (9.01)	4.17 (9.06)	t = 0.14; p = 0.892
Motivation to change^,f parental, mean (SD)	8.72 (2.75)	8.89 (1.66)	t = 0.24; p = 0.814
Belief in change^,g parental, mean (SD)	8.96 (1.88)	9.02 (1.17)	t = 0.12; p = 0.904

Notes .

^aAssessed using the Family Climate Questionnaire; ^b Assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; ^c Assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; ^d Measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; ^e Measured using the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test; ^f Self-reported on a scale of 1–10; ^g Self-reported on a scale of 1–10.

Table 3. Primary and secondary outcomes with estimated marginal means (EMMs) obtained from the linear mixed model.

Variable	Baseline (T1) EMM (CI)	Post (T2) EMM (CI)	Follow-up (T3) EMM (CI)	T1–T2 B, p-value	T1–T3 B, p-value
Family climate ^a
Closeness
child	1.69 (1.41–1.96)	2.16 (1.86–2.46)	2.19 (1.88. 2.50)	–0.47, p = 0.002	–0.50, p = 0.002
parent	1.58 (1.38–1.78)	2.08 (1.85–2.32)	1.92 (1.68–2.16)	–0.50, p < 0.001	–0.34, p = 0.009
Distance
child	0.40 (0.23–0.57)	0.25 (0.70–0.43)	0.21 (0.27–0.40)	0.15, p = 0.112	0.19, p = 0.053
parent	0.24 (0.15–0.34)	0.17 (0.06–0.28)	0.23 (0.12–0.35)	0.07, p = 0.277	0.01, p = 0.872
Spontaneity
child	1.06 (0.76–1.36)	0.99 (0.68–1.31)	0.83 (0.51–1.15)	0.07, p = 0.551	0.43, p = 0.66
parent	1.07 (0.86–1.27)	0.73 (0.48–0.97)	0.64 (0.38–0.89)	0.34, p = 0.014	0.43, p = 0.003
Chaos
child	0.95 (0.68–1.23)	0.32 (0.01–0.63)	0.35 (0.04–0.67)	0.64, p < 0.001	0.60, p = 0.001
parent	1.11 (0.87–1.36)	0.59 (0.29–0.88)	0.46 (0.16–0.77)	0.53, p = 0.003	0.65, p < 0.001
Mental health, child ^b	12.70 (11.06–14.34)	13.14 (11.26–15.03)	11.22 (9.36–13.07)	−0.45, p = 0.594	1.48, p = 0.084
Emotional problems, parental ^c	12.23 (10.63–13.83)	10.31 (8.49–12.13)	9.23 (7.26–11.20)	1.92, p = 0.026	3.00, p = 0.002
Alcohol use, parental ^d	3.59 (2.90–4.27)	2.05 (1.24–2.86)	2.05 (1.22–2.89)	1.54, p = 0.001	1.54, p = 0.001
Drug use, parental ^e	1.07 (0.51–1.63)	0.32 (−0.37–1.01)	0.06 (−0.63–0.75)	0.75, p = 0.73	1.01, p = 0.017

Notes CI = confidence interval, T1 =before intervention, T2 = on completion of intervention.

T3=three months post-intervention.

Bold indicates p<0.05.

a Assessed using the Family Climate Questionnaire; b Assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; Table 3 c Assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; d Measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; e Measured using the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test.

Table 4. Child mental health outcomes measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire with estimated marginal means (EMMs) obtained from the linear mixed model.

Variable	Baseline (T1) EMM (CI)	Post (T2) EMM (CI)	Follow-up (T3) EMM (CI)	T1–T2 B, p-value	T1–T3 B, p-value
Total difficulties	12.70 (11.06–14.34)	13.14 (11.26–15.03)	11.22 (9.36–13.07)	−0.44, p = 0.594	1.47, p = 0.084
Emotional symptoms	3.28 (2.64–3.92)	3.16 (2.41–3.91)	2.56 (1.83–3.30)	0.21, p = 0.741	0.72, p = 0.055
Conduct problems	2.42 (1.92–2.91)	2.16 (1.59–2.72)	1.91 (1.36–2.47)	0.26, p = 0.283	0.51, p = 0.042
Hyperactivity/inattention	4.99 (4.28–5.70)	5.41 (4.59–6.22)	4.83 (4.03–5.63)	−0.42, p = 0.256	0.16, p = 0.670
Peer problems	2.12 (1.65–2.58)	2.49 (1.94–3.04)	2.00 (1.45–2.54)	−0.37, p = 0.178	0.12, p = 0.665
Prosocial behaviour	7.90 (7.32–8.48)	8.28 (7.61–8.96)	7.64 (6.98–8.31)	−0.38, p = 238	0.26, p = 0.434
Impact of problems	1.41 (0.73–2.09)	1.41 (0.57–2.24)	0.55 (−0.22–1.32)	0.00, p = 0.99	0.86, p = 0.063

Notes CI = confidence interval, T1 = before intervention, T2 = on completion of intervention, T3 = three months after intervention. Bold indicates p < 0.05.