Psychodynamic Factors in the Mother-Child Relationship in Adolescent Drug Addiction: A Comparison of Mothers of Schizophrenics and Mothers of Normal Adolescent Sons

Drugs and The Family

“…An early but particularly well controlled study by Attardo (1965) deserves special note because of its implications. Mothers of drug addicts, schizophrenics, and normal adolescents were compared on a symbiosis or separation/ind~viduation scale as to their propensity for this kind of relating with their children.…”

Substance Abuse and Family Interaction

“…Some attention has also been paid to family composition, with the finding that only children have a different pattern of drug use from those with siblings (65). In an elegantly designed comparison among mothers of drug addicts, mothers of schizophrenics, and mothers of normal adolescents (3), the mothers' “propensity for symbiotic relating” at various stages of their children's development was measured retrospectively, on a “symbiosis” scale based on the concepts of Mahler (68). It was found that all mothers had similar levels of “symbiotic need” during the first five years of the child's life, but that the needs of the “normal” mother subsequently decreased, while those of the other two groups remained significantly higher (the mothers of drug abusers remained the highest).…”

An Endangered Species: The Female as Addict or Member of an Addict Family*

“…Like the mother of a schizophrenic youngster, the mother of a heroin addict is characterized as participating in a highly symbiotic relationship with her son. Attardo's (1965) investigation of mother-son relationships among drug addict, schizophrenic and normal populations indicated that mothers of heroin addicts had significantly greater symbiotic needs than either normals or schizophrenics. This was viewed as a potential indicator of addiction.…”