NCJ Number
168009
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1997) Pages: 337-349
Date Published
1997
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Forty-four pregnant drug abusers who retained custody of their babies following delivery were compared with 23 mothers who lost custody and whose babies were placed by child protective services in the care of other relatives.
Abstract
The data came from existing data from a larger research demonstration projected funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Data were collected on prenatal information, newborn characteristics, caregiving at 6 months, and child development at 6 months. Results revealed no differences between the groups with respect to maternal demographics, drug abuse as assessed by prenatal self-reports and urinalysis at birth, mental health status, or birthweight or other characteristics of the newborn. In addition, the caregiving behaviors of the mothers and the caregivers who were relatives displayed no significant differences at 6 months. However, infants who remained in the care of their biological mothers demonstrated better cognitive development at 6 months than infants in the care of relatives. Safety also differed at 6 months in that three deaths and two reported cases of suspected child abuse or neglect occurred among infants in the care of their mothers, versus no deaths and no reports of suspected abuse among infants in foster care with relatives. Tables and 37 references (Author abstract modified)