Childhood Adversities and Substance Misuse Among the Incarcerated: Implications for Treatment and Practice in Correctional Settings

Abstract

Background Incarcerated populations have high rates of childhood adversities and substance use problems. Moreover, childhood adversities are well-documented predictors of substance misuse. Objective To investigate the impact of childhood sexual and physical abuse, caregiver abuse of drugs or alcohol, and time spent in foster care on several substance misuse outcomes. Methods Data comes from a sample of 16,043 incarcerated men and women in the United States Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Facilities. Bivariate analyses revealed differences by sex in childhood adversities and socioeconomic characteristics. Logistic regression analyses assessed the data for a link between childhood adversities and substance misuse after adjusting for other variables. Analyses were stratified by sex to show differences in predictors of substance misuse between men and women. Results Childhood adversities increased the risk of many substance misuse outcomes. The prevalence of physical abuse, sexual abuse, foster care, and caretaker abuse of drugs or alcohol were greatest for inmates who reported injecting and sharing drugs. Growing up with a caregiver that used drugs or alcohol was a consistent predictor of increased risk of substance misuse for men and women. However, childhood sexual abuse increased risk for only women. Conclusions Inmates who experience physical abuse, sexual abuse, foster care involvement and caretakers who use drugs and alcohol are at an increased risk of substance misuse, injecting drug use and syringe sharing. Implications suggest correctional HIV prevention and substance misuse programs must address unresolved trauma and important gender differences.

Interpersonal Risk Factors for Suicide in Cocaine Dependence: Association with Self‐Esteem, Personality Traits, and Childhood Abuse

“…The finding that women experienced more childhood sexual abuse than men is also consistent with the literature among substance misusers and the general population (Greenfield et al, ; Heffner, Blom, & Anthenelli, ; Marotta, ; Rosen, Ouimette, Sheikh, Gregg, & Moos, ; Shand, Degenhardt, Slade, & Nelson, ; Simpson et al, ; Titus, Dennis, White, Scott, & Funk, ; Wellman, ). However, we did not find sex differences regarding emotional and physical abuse.…”

“…Studies of sex differences in the prevalence of childhood emotional and physical abuse among substance misusers and the general populations have reported mixed results. Some studies found that women experience more emotional and physical abuse (Christoffersen, Armour, Lasgaard, Andersen, & Elklit, ; Shand et al, ; Simpson et al, ; Titus et al, ), whereas others found that men experience more physical abuse (Kilpatrick & Saunders, ; Marotta, ; Rounds‐Bryant, Kristiansen, Fairbank, & Hubbard, ) or no sex differences in emotional and physical abuse (Greenfield et al, ; Heffner et al, ; Simpson et al, ). Whether or how childhood abuse may influence substance misuse differently in men and women remains to be clarified.…”

Childhood adversities and 5-HTTLPR polymorphism as risk factors of substance use disorders: retrospective case-control study in Murcia (Spain)

“…In summary, the present study confirms the risk effect of CAs on SUDs and adds new evidence to support the role of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism. Further studies and future meta-analyses focused on G×E interactions are needed to clarify these nature–nurture interactions as such findings might have important implications in the prevention and treatment of SUDs 75…”

"Ek het uiteindelik op straat beland; dis ʼn harde lewe": Uitdagings van kwesbare vroue wat alkohol of dwelms misbruik

“…Die meeste deelnemers dra nog die wonde van ongelukkige kinderjare. Soos aangetoon deur navorsers soos Marotta (2017) en Myers et al (2018), lei moeilike kinderjare dikwels tot ʼn alkohol-en dwelmprobleem in ʼn poging om onopgeloste trauma te hanteer. Op die mesovlak bied gemeenskappe dikwels nie ondersteuning aan kinders wat trauma ervaar nie, wat dan saamgedra word in die volwasse lewe.…”

“…Myers et al (2018) se studie bevestig dat fisieke en seksuele trauma soos deur baie van die deelnemers beleef, ʼn toename in alkohol-of dwelmmisbruik tot gevolg het, asook ʼn groter blootstelling aan HIV. Marotta (2017) noem dat daar ʼn korrelasie is tussen vroue wat in die tronk is (soos een deelnemer aangedui het), trauma in die kinderjare en die misbruik van alkohol of dwelms.…”