title: Executive function and mental health in adopted children with a history of recreational drug exposures.
abstract: Adoptive children are at increased risk for problematic behaviors but the origin of these individual differences in neurobehavioral function is unclear. This investigation examined whether adopted children with prenatal exposure to a wide variety of recreational drugs exhibited higher scores (i.e. more problems) with executive function and psychiatric symptomology. Caregivers of children ages 5 to 18 completed an online survey with items about use of alcohol, nicotine, or methamphetamine during pregnancy followed by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF, N = 437 including 59 adoptive parents) or the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, N = 549 including 54 adoptive parents). Relative to a comparison group of children raised by their biological parents, adoptive children that were polysubstance exposed during prenatal development exhibited higher rates of academic difficulties and were behind their classmates in math and reading. Adoptive children had statistically and clinically significant higher BRIEF ratings and this pattern was similar for boys and girls. CBCL ratings were significantly increased in adoptive children, particularly for Externalizing and Attention problems. Adoptive children with a history of polysubstance exposures including alcohol, nicotine, and methamphetamine are at heightened risk for difficulties with executive function as well as various psychopathologies. These findings suggest that increased monitoring to identify and implement remediation strategies may be warranted for adopted children with a history of in utero drug exposures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, Husson University, Bangor, Maine, United States of America; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Piper
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America; School of Community Health and Department of Counselor Education, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hilary M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America; College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Selena M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America.
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birkett
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America; Department of Neurology and Radiation Medicine, and Division of Neuroscience, ONPRC, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000300:Adoption; D017028:Caregivers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D000431:Ethanol; D008694:Methamphetamine; D009538:Nicotine