401. Maternal smoking during pregnancy and risk to boys' conduct disturbance: an examination of the causal hypothesis.
- Author
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Silberg JL, Parr T, Neale MC, Rutter M, Angold A, and Eaves LJ
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Child, Conduct Disorder psychology, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Models, Biological, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Conduct Disorder etiology, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Smoking adverse effects
- Abstract
Background: We undertook this study to determine whether the widely replicated link between maternal smoking and conduct disturbance (Cd) is better explained by a model of direct causation or of mother-offspring transmission of a latent Cd variable., Methods: Family data collected on 538 adolescent twin boys from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD) was used to compare two alternative models: 1) a model composed of a latent transmissible factor that influences mother's juvenile conduct symptoms, smoking during pregnancy, and subsequent Cd and smoking in her adolescent boys; and 2) a model specifying a direct causal path from mother's smoking to child Cd., Results: The maternal-offspring transmission model fit the data as well as a model specifying a direct causal path from maternal smoking to child Cd., Conclusions: Our results suggest that the association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and boys' Cd symptoms may be attributed to the transmission of a latent Cd factor and not to a direct effect of the smoking. Our results challenge previous findings of a direct effect of prenatal smoke exposure on risk to Cd once other etiologic factors are considered.
- Published
- 2003
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