Disorders of cognitive and emotional development in children of mothers with substance abuse and psychiatric disorders

Aims The aim of this study was to investigate whether the mother's substance abuse, psychiatric problems and socioeconomic situation are related to 1) disorders of psychological development, 2) behavioural and emotional disorders, and 3) mood disorders and neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders in children aged 0–12 years.Data & Methods The research is based on data on all children born in Finland in 1997 who have not died before their first birthday (n=58 761). These children were followed until their 12th birthday. Information from national registers covering health and social care, education, relationship status, age and receipt of income support were analysed using cross-tabulation with χ 2 -tests and logistic regression analysis.Results Based on the register data of children, 1.4% (n = 798) had a mother with substance abuse problems only, 3.2% (n = 1854) had a mother with psychiatric disorders only, and 1.1% (n = 652) had a mother with both substance abuse and psychiatric disorders. Among children with mothers with substance abuse, psychiatric disorders or both, the risks of all categories of psychiatric diseases studied were significantly higher than in the comparison group. It was a bigger risk for the child to have a mother with both substance abuse and psychiatric disorders than either of these alone.Conclusion The mother's substance abuse and her other psychiatric disorders are significant risk factors for her children's psychiatric development, even when the socioeconomic factors are taken into account. Children of mothers with both substance abuse and psychiatric disorders are at a particularly high risk.