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The relationship among psychological distress, employment, and drug use over time in a sample of female welfare recipients
Author(s) -
Atkinson John S.,
Montoya Isaac D.,
Whitsett Donna D.,
Bell David C.,
Nagy Carl W.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.585
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1520-6629
pISSN - 0090-4392
DOI - 10.1002/jcop.10052
Subject(s) - distress , psychology , psychological distress , personality , sample (material) , clinical psychology , welfare , heroin , addiction , psychiatry , drug , mental health , social psychology , chemistry , chromatography , political science , law
In this study we examined the relationship over time among work experience, psychological distress, and illegal substance use in a sample of 534 women receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Study participants were interviewed at intake and at 4‐month intervals for a period of 2 years. Each interview recorded the number of hours worked in the previous 4 months and the use of powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamines during the same period. To measure the extent of psychological distress, participants were also administered the personal adjustment problems subscales of the Multidimensional Addictions and Personality Profile (MAPP) at intake and at 1‐year intervals. A path model was analyzed to assess the temporal effects of employment, drug use, and emotional and psychological distress. Results suggest a cycle in which employment at one time period can reduce the likelihood of drug use in the following period, which, in turn, can lead to improvement in distress. This improvement can lead to an increase in the number of hours worked and further improvement in distress levels. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 31: 223–234, 2003.