Direct and Passive Prenatal Nicotine Exposure and the Development of Externalizing Psychopathology

• Published in: Child psychiatry and human development Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 255 - 269
• Main Authors: Gatzke-Kopp, Lisa M, Beauchaine, Theodore P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.12.2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aggression; Antisocial Behavior; At Risk Persons; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnosis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - epidemiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention deficit disorders. Hyperactivity; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Behavior Problems; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Brain; Child; Child Behavior; Child clinical studies; Children; Conduct Disorder - diagnosis; Conduct Disorder - epidemiology; Conduct Disorder - psychology; Correlation; Female; Fetal exposure; Humans; Male; Maternal Behavior; Medical sciences; Mothers; Parent Influence; Parenting Styles; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Premature Infants; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - epidemiology; Prenatal Influences; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Smoking; Social behavior disorders; Tobacco Smoke Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Tobacco smoking; Tobacco, tobacco smoking; Toxicology; Human; ADHD; Aggression; Hyperactivity; Tobacco smoking; Conduct disorder; Second hand smoke; Exposure; Maternal diseases; Prenatal; Alkaloid; Attentional disorder; Risk factor; Attention disorder with hyperactivity; Social behavior disorder; Child; Nicotine; Maternal smoking
• ISSN: 0009-398X; 1573-3327
• DOI: 10.1007/s10578-007-0059-4

The association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and childhood antisocial outcomes has been demonstrated repeatedly across a variety of outcomes. Yet debate continues as to whether this association reflects a direct programming effect of nicotine on fetal brain development, or a phenotypic indicator of heritable liability passed from mother to child. In the current study, we examine relations between maternal smoking and child behavior among 133 women and their 7-15-year-olds, who were recruited for clinical levels of psychopathology. In order to disentangle correlates of maternal smoking, women who smoked during pregnancy were compared with (a) those who did not smoke, and (b) those who did not smoke but experienced significant second-hand exposure. Second-hand exposure was associated with increased externalizing psychopathology in participant mothers' offspring. Moreover, regression analyses indicated that smoke exposure during pregnancy predicted conduct disorder symptoms, over and above the effects of income, parental antisocial tendencies, prematurity, birth weight, and poor parenting practices. This is the first study to extend the findings of externalizing vulnerability to second hand smoke exposure.