Vol. 7, No. 1, 2001 Page 7 
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Vol. 7, No. 1, 2001 Page 7 |
Evidence continues to implicate prenatal tobacco exposure as a cause of aberrant behavior, with a new study finding that preschool-aged children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy score significantly higher on tests of oppositional behavior, immaturity, emotional instability, physical aggression, and activity.
N. L. Day et al. assessed 672 three-year-old children, and found that prenatal tobacco exposure had a particularly deleterious influence on oppositional behavior, while both prenatal and current exposure to tobacco contributed to impulsivity and peer problems. (see related articles, Crime Times, 2000, Vol. 6, No. 1, Page 7; Crime Times, 1999, Vol. 5, No. 3, Page 7; and Crime Times, 1999, Vol. 5, No. 2, Page 1 ).
"Effects of prenatal tobacco exposure on preschoolers' behavior," N. L. Day, G. A. Richardson, L. Goldschmidt, and M. D. Cornelius, Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Vol. 21, No. 3, June 2000, pp. 180-188. Address: N. L. Day, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2593.