Elucidating early mechanisms of developmental psychopathology: the case of prenatal smoking and disruptive behavior.

Full Abstract

There is a robust association between prenatal smoking and disruptive behavior disorders, but little is known about the emergence of such behaviors in early development. The association of prenatal smoking and hypothesized behavioral precursors to disruptive behavior in toddlers (N=93) was tested. Exposed toddlers demonstrated atypical behavioral patterns, including (1) escalating externalizing problems from 18 to 24 months and (2) observed difficulty modulating behavior in response to social cues. Specification of exposure-related behaviors is a first step toward generating testable hypotheses about putative mechanisms of effect. While it remains unclear whether prenatal exposure plays an etiologic role in the emergence of disruptive behavior, atypical exposure-related behavioral patterns are evident in the first years of life and demonstrate developmental coherence.

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Author information

Author/s: Wakschlag, Lauren S (LS); Leventhal, Bennett L (BL); Pine, Daniel S (DS); Pickett, Kate E (KE); Carter, Alice S (AS);

Affiliation: Institute for Juvenile Research, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60608, USA. lwakschlag(-atsign-)psych.uic.edu

Grants: K08 DA00330 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS) ; R01 DA15223 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Child development (Child Dev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2006 Jul-Aug; vol 77 (issue 4) : pp 893-906

Dates: Created 2006/08/31; Completed 2006/12/22; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 16942496, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - diagnosis; psychology
Child, Preschool
Cues
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn

Internal-External Control
Male
Parenting - psychology
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects
Risk Factors
Smoking - adverse effects
Socialization

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