Past drug problem could affect grandchildren

A mother's drug problem might pose long-term risks for her grandchildren's self esteem. Researchers from the New York University School of Medicine conducted a study of three generations of urban, minority families and found that children whose grandmothers had a history of drug abuse tended to have poorer self-esteem than their peers. The connection appeared to be explained by the second generation. That is, women whose mothers abused drugs had a more troubled relationship with their own children. The findings are based on interviews with 149 New York City children (7 to 12 years old), their mothers and grandmothers. The researchers found that when grandmothers had a history of drug abuse, their daughters tended to have more conflicts with and negative feelings toward their own children. Their children, in turn, had lower feelings of self-worth compared with their peers. The findings suggest that poor parenting skills are being passed down through the generations of drug-affected families. This implies that addressing future grandmothers drug problems could have positive effects on future generations. Improving grandmothers' parenting skills and preventing or intervening to reduce their drug use, may well have effects on their own behaviour, their children's behaviour, and the development of their grandchildren.