title: Children's intellectual and emotional-behavioral adjustment at 4 years as a function of cocaine exposure, maternal characteristics, and environmental risk.
abstract: The authors examined 223 children at age 4 years for the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure, exposure to other substances, maternal and environmental risk factors, and neonatal medical problems on IQ, externalizing problems, and internalizing problems. Regression analyses showed that maternal verbal IQ and low environmental risk predicted child IQ. Cocaine exposure negatively predicted children's overall IQ and verbal reasoning scores, but only for boys. Cocaine exposure also predicted poorer short-term memory. Maternal harsh discipline, maternal depressive symptoms, and increased environmental risk predicted externalizing problems. In contrast, only maternal depressive symptoms predicted internalizing problems. These findings indicate that early exposure to substances is largely unrelated to subsequent IQ or adjustment, particularly for girls.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bendersky
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine