Parental Substance Use: Implications for Infant Mental Health

We outline the characteristics and behaviors of substance-using parents and related infant mental health outcomes. Specifically, we discuss the teratogenic effects of prenatal exposure and bidirectional effects of parental postnatal substance use on infant mental health, focusing on the impact of comorbid stress on parenting as well as father/nonpregnant partner substance use. Finally, we detail early intervention efforts and future directions related to the study of parental substance use.