title: Smoking in pregnancy and parenting stress: maternal psychological symptoms and socioeconomic status as potential mediating variables.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of smoking in pregnancy on parenting stress. Maternal psychological symptoms and socioeconomic status (SES) were evaluated as potential mediating factors between prenatal cigarette use and later parenting stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 218 mothers who were recruited at the hospital after birth and completed a 6-month visit with their infants at a university laboratory. Based on the mothers' responses to interviews at the hospital on tobacco use during pregnancy, the sample included 77 nonsmokers and 141 smokers. Information on sociodemographic variables, prenatal care, and other substance use during pregnancy was collected at the hospital interview. At the 6-month visit, the mothers completed measures of parenting stress and psychological symptoms. Cotinine levels were assessed at both timepoints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analysis showed that maternal smoking during pregnancy predicted parenting stress in infancy. Maternal symptoms of psychological distress and SES were evaluated simultaneously to determine whether they functioned as mediating variables between smoking in pregnancy and parenting stress. A multiple mediation analysis (Preacher & Hayes, 2008a) showed that maternal psychological symptoms functioned as a mediating variable but that SES did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that mothers who smoke in pregnancy are likely to experience higher levels of psychological symptoms, which, in turn, predict higher levels of parenting stress. Smoking in pregnancy may be a marker for symptoms of psychological distress in mothers.
authors: Emory University, Briarcliff Campus, 1256 Briarcliff Rd., Atlanta, GA 30306, USA. mlynch@emory.edu
authors: Mary Ellen
authors: ME
authors: Lynch
authors: Katrina C
authors: KC
authors: Johnson
authors: Julie A
authors: JA
authors: Kable
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Carroll
authors: Claire D
authors: CD
authors: Coles
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017008:Negotiating; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking; D012923:Social Class; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003367:Cotinine