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Comparison of 12-Year-Old Children with Prenatal Exposure to Cocaine and Non-Exposed Controls on Caregiver Ratings of Executive Function

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Abstract

Differences in caregiver reported executive function in 12-year-old children who were prenatally exposed to cocaine (PCE) compared to children who were not prenatally exposed to cocaine (NCE) were assessed. One hundred and sixty-nine PCE and 169 NCE, primarily African-American, low socioeconomic status children participated in a prospective longitudinal study. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Parent Form was administered. Two broadband BRIEF scores (Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) and Metacognition Index (MI)) and a summary Global Executive Composite (GEC) were computed. Multiple and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the effects of amount of PCE on executive function, controlling for covariates including caregiver (rater) psychological distress, child’s gender and other prenatal drug exposure variables. After adjustment for covariates, amount of PCE was associated with the GEC and two MI subscales, Plan/Organize and Monitor, with heavier exposure associated with more problems of executive function. An amount of PCE by gender interaction revealed amount of PCE effects in other remaining subscales of the MI (Initiate, Working Memory, and Organization of Materials) only among girls. Head circumference did not mediate the effects of cocaine on outcomes. Higher current caregiver psychological distress levels were independently associated with poorer ratings on the executive function scales. Assessment and targeted interventions to improve metacognitive processes are recommended for girls who were prenatally exposed to cocaine.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank all of our families who participated in our research. We would also like to thank Laurie Ellison and Paul Weishampel for research assistance and Terri Lotz-Ganley for manuscript preparation. This research was supported by a National Institute on Drug Abuse Grant R01-07957.

Author contributions

SM participated in the study’s conception, design, coordination, statistical analyses, interpretation of the data, and drafted the manuscript; LS participated in the study’s conception and design, interpretation of data, and helped to draft the manuscript; MM performed the statistical analyses, participated in the interpretation of data, and helped to draft the manuscript; AL participated in the coordination of the study, performed the measurements, and helped to draft the manuscript; ABH participated in the initial literature review and draft of the manuscript; ES participated in the study’s conception, design and interpretation of the data, and helped to draft the manuscript; MW provided data management, performed statistical analyses, participated in interpretation of data, and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Sonia Minnes, Meeyoung O. Min, Adelaide M. Lang & Miaoping Wu

  2. School of Medicine, Environmental Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Lynn T. Singer

  3. Department of Psychological and Communication Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Elizabeth Short

  4. The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel

    Aya Ben-Harush

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  1. Sonia Minnes
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Minnes, S., Singer, L.T., Min, M.O. et al. Comparison of 12-Year-Old Children with Prenatal Exposure to Cocaine and Non-Exposed Controls on Caregiver Ratings of Executive Function. J Youth Adolescence 43, 53–69 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-013-9927-3

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