Assessing the Effects of Substance Abuse in Parenting: A Case Study of Chimwemwe Township of Kitwe, Zambia

This researcher was motivated to assess the effects of substance abuse on parenting and the impact it has on children in society and the Zambian community at large because of the devastating effects of substance abuse on individual users and their immediate families as it is prevalent not only in Zambia but the world at large.
The use of illicit substances has spread to almost every part of the globe. Every society around the world is affected by the overwhelming problem of substance abuse. Various difficulties affecting not only the person that abuses substances but also his or her family. The adverse effects of substance abuse on families and parenting is devastating affecting relationships, financial sources and health of individual users.

The purpose of this research study was to assess the effects of substance abuse in parenting and objectives being; to investigate the prevalence of substance abuse among parents, to determine contributing factors to parental substance abuse and to examine the impact of substance abuse on parenting practices and behaviours in Chimwemwe Township of Kitwe, Zambia.

The study’s findings on the prevalence of substance abuse among parents in Chimwemwe Township revealed that substance use, particularly of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana, was a significant issue affecting many families. A majority of parents surveyed reported using at least one type of substance, with alcohol being the most frequently used (58.82%), followed by cigarettes (39.71%) and marijuana (23.53%).