| dc.description.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. | |
