ERIC Number: EJ1013876
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Oct
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: N/A
Language Outcomes at 12 Years for Children Exposed Prenatally to Cocaine
Lewis, Barbara A.; Minnes, Sonia; Short, Elizabeth J.; Min, Meeyoung O.; Wu, Miaoping; Lang, Adelaide; Weishampel, Paul; Singer, Lynn T.
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v56 n5 p1662-1676 Oct 2013
Purpose: In this study, the authors aimed to examine the long-term effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on the language development of 12-year-old children using a prospective design, controlling for confounding prenatal drug exposure and environmental factors. Method: Children who were exposed to cocaine in utero (PCE; "n" = 183) and children who were not exposed to cocaine (i.e., no cocaine exposure [NCE]; "n" = 181) were followed prospectively from birth to 12 years of age and were compared on language subtests of the Test of Language Development-Intermediate, Third Edition (Hammill & Newcomer, 1997b), and phonological processing as measured by the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (Wagner & Torgesen, 1999). The authors evaluated the relationship of PCE to language development through a multivariate analysis of covariance and regression analyses while controlling for confounders. Results: Results show that PCE has small effects on specific aspects of language, including syntax and phonological processing. The caregiver variables of lower maternal vocabulary, more psychological symptoms, and a poorer home environment also had consistent effects on language and phonological processing scores. Conclusions: These findings suggest that PCE continues to have small, subtle effects on specific aspects of language at age 12 years. Phonological processing skills were significantly related to the reading outcomes of letter-word identification, reading fluency, and reading comprehension, indicating that PCE also has small but lasting effects on the language skills that are related to later literacy skills.
Descriptors: Prenatal Influences, Cocaine, Drug Abuse, Comparative Analysis, Child Development, Preadolescents, Language Acquisition, Language Skills, Environmental Influences, Age Differences, Phonological Awareness, Language Processing, Syntax, Mothers, Parent Influence, Vocabulary, Psychological Patterns, Mental Health, Family Environment, Multivariate Analysis, Regression (Statistics)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Test of Language Development
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A