Post-natal effects of maternal cigarette smoking and family dynamics on child behaviours

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between maternal smoking (smoking during pregnancy) and child behavior problems, while considering other possible contributors to child behavior, namely parenting stress, family stability, life stress, family income, and parental education. In order to determine how smoking and non-smoking families may vary, this study also investigated differences between smoking and non-smoking families with respect to various descriptive and demographic characteristics, including environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETS) throughout development Participants included mothers with children ages four to six years who either smoked during pregnancy, or did not Results revealed a significant dose dependent relationship between smoking during pregnancy (maternal smoking) along with post-natal ETS exposure, and behavioral problems in children. No significant differentiation was found between the families of smoking and non-smoking mothers and their parenting stress, family stability, parental education or family income. However, results did indicate that families of mothers who smoked during pregnancy experienced more life stressors in the past year tiian families o f non-smoking mothers. Overall maternal smoking and non-smoking families were similar on most of the descriptive and demographic variables with the exception of divorce rates, which were significantly higher in smoking mother families. Although parenting stress, family stability, parental education and family income were found to significantly contribute to child behavioral problems, smoking and non-smoking families were not distinguishable on these variables. Maternal smoking status, however, emerged as a significant unique predictor of post-natal behavioral problems.