Maternal Substance Use and toddler Self-Regulation

State University Of New York At Buffalo, Buffalo NY

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is for a supplemental grant to extend the aims of the original grant, "Maternal Substance Use and Toddler Self-Regulation" (R01 DAI3190). The ongoing study is a multi-method, four-wave, longitudinal study of maternal substance use, parenting, and the development of toddler self-regulation among poly-substance cocaine using mothers and matched controls. The original design involves recruiting and assessing mother-infant dyads at child ages of 1 month, 7 months, 13 months, and 24 months. Although not part of the original protocol, a brief interview during a home visit is also conducted at 18 months. This supplement is designed to support our long-term goal of following these children into the early school years by initiating a follow-up when the children are 36 and 48 months of age. These assessments will allow us to 1) examine developmental trajectories for self-regulation among cocaine-exposed and non-cocaine-exposed children from the toddler to the preschool period; 2) re-introduce measurement of autonomic regulation at 36 and 48 months to enhance and extend autonomic regulation measures collected at 1, 7, and 13 months of age; and 3) to conduct two brief home visits at 30 and 42 months to reduce attrition and obtain information about maternal postnatal substance use in the last 6 months, child behavior problems, and temperament. Measurement of the caregiving environment and mother-child interactions are conducted at each lab visit (1, 7, 13, 24) and will be continued at the 36 and 48 month visits. [unreadable] [unreadable] The study is guided by transactional models of development and the developmental psychopathology framework emphasizing the importance of examining pathways to self-regulation as well as the role of multiple risk factors associated with maternal cocaine use. It is hypothesized that in addition to the direct teratological effect of cocaine and other substance exposure, infant risk characteristics, the caregiving environment, or the quality of maternal parenting behavior may moderate or mediate the association between maternal cocaine use and developmental trajectories for self-regulation. The final sample will consist of 120 cocaine-exposed and 120 non-cocaine-exposed children. It is anticipated that approximately 39% of the total sample (n = 93) will be 3 years old, and 15% (n = 37) will be 4 years old within the time frame of the original application. In addition, the supplement is needed for brief home visits at 30 months (n = 116) and 42 months (n = 78). This supplement will extend the aims of the original application to the preschool years, allow for examination of developmental trajectories for self-regulation and behavior problems, and examination of mediators and moderators of these trajectories. [unreadable] [unreadable]