Troy Holmes
Balancing Fatherhood and Law: Barriers and Facilitators to Accessing Substance Use Care
Becoming a dad can be a time full of excitement and joy. This period can also be stressful, given the impacts on identity, relationships, social support systems, and increased financial strain. In fact, becoming a father puts men at nearly twice the risk for mental health challenges compared to other men. Problematic substance use (PSU) is one of the most common wellbeing concerns impacting families globally. When fathers experience chronic and untreated PSU, their children are at an increased risk for emotional, behavioral, and cognitive challenges, including their own future struggles with substance use. Additionally, these households experience higher rates of intimate partner and child violence, representing a serious risk to family wellbeing. However, very little has been done to tailor substance use supports specifically to the needs of these fathers.
Fathers employed in the legal profession may be particularly vulnerable, as previous research has identified exceptionally high rates of alcohol and substance use. More than one in four legal professionals experience problematic alcohol use, while more than one in ten report difficulties with other substances. At the same time, cultural expectations around masculinity, professionalism, and self-reliance may hinder help-seeking, leaving many men reluctant to disclose distress or to access support until the problem has become severe.
The proposed research will include interviews of dads employed in the legal profession, who successfully utilized supports for problematic substance use. Participants will be invited to share their experiences navigating fatherhood, professional expectations, and substance use support systems to identify the barriers and facilitators to care. Results from this work will inform the development or adaptation of current and future supports tailored specifically to the needs of these fathers. Ultimately, by better understanding the needs of a population of fathers experiencing PSU, this work aims to improve long-term child developmental and family outcomes.