Mother-infant interaction at 12 months in prenatally cocaine-exposed children

• Published in: The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse Vol. 27; no. 2; pp. 203 - 224
• Main Authors: UKEJE, Ikechukwu, BENDERSKY, Margaret, LEWIS, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Taylor & Francis 01.05.2001; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Anxiety, Separation - diagnosis; Anxiety, Separation - epidemiology; Anxiety, Separation - psychology; Babies; Biological and medical sciences; Black people; Cocaine; Cocaine-Related Disorders - psychology; Couple and family; Drug abuse; Drug addiction; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant; Infant Behavior - psychology; Infant, Newborn; Medical sciences; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Object Attachment; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social psychology; Videotape Recording; Human; Statistical analysis; Illicit drug; Visual observation; Infant; Exposure; Mother child relation; Video recording; Prenatal; Maternal behavior; Ester; Play; Maternal separation; Education; Verbal behavior; Cocaine
• ISSN: 0095-2990; 1097-9891
• DOI: 10.1081/ADA-100103706

This study examined mother-infant interactions of 12-month-old African-American prenatally cocaine-exposed infants and their mothers. Videotaped observations were made during a free-play dyadic interaction, a brief separation, and a reunion period. Videotapes were coded for maternal and child behaviors during each phase of the procedure. Although there were few differences in interactive behaviors between prenatally cocaine-exposed and nonexposed children and their mothers, children who were prenatally exposed to cocaine ignored their mother's departure (odds ratio [OR] = 3.0, p < .05) during separation significantly more often than nonexposed subjects. In addition, mothers who abused cocaine engaged in significantly more verbal behavior (F(2,104) = 7.00, p < .001) with their children than mothers of nonexposed children. These findings indicate that women who used cocaine during pregnancy may not differ from nonusers in their interactions with their 12-month-old infants.