1. Partner influence as a factor in maternal alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms, and maternal effects on infant neurodevelopmental outcomes
- Author
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Kautz‐Turnbull, Carson, Petrenko, Christie LM, Handley, Elizabeth D, Coles, Claire D, Kable, Julie A, Wertelecki, Wladimir, Yevtushok, Lyubov, Zymak‐Zakutnya, Natalya, Chambers, Christina D, and Disorders, the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
- Subjects
Biological Psychology ,Psychology ,Pediatric Research Initiative ,Behavioral and Social Science ,Perinatal Period - Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period ,Brain Disorders ,Substance Misuse ,Clinical Research ,Conditions Affecting the Embryonic and Fetal Periods ,Prevention ,Alcoholism ,Alcohol Use and Health ,Depression ,Pediatric ,Mental Health ,Aetiology ,2.2 Factors relating to the physical environment ,Reproductive health and childbirth ,Mental health ,Good Health and Well Being ,Adolescent ,Adult ,Alcohol Drinking ,Child Development ,Female ,Humans ,Infant ,Newborn ,Latent Class Analysis ,Marriage ,Maternal Exposure ,Nervous System ,Pregnancy ,Pregnancy Complications ,Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ,Prospective Studies ,Young Adult ,infant ,partner influence ,pregnancy ,prenatal alcohol ,relationship ,Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ,Clinical Sciences ,Neurosciences ,Substance Abuse ,Clinical sciences ,Biological psychology ,Clinical and health psychology - Abstract
BackgroundFew studies have investigated the partner's influence on risk factors such as alcohol consumption and depression during pregnancy. Partner substance use and lower relationship satisfaction predict higher maternal alcohol use and depressive symptoms. Because prenatal alcohol use and maternal depression affect infant outcomes, it is imperative to examine how the partner affects these maternal risk factors. The current study examined the effect of a latent construct of partner influence on maternal alcohol use and depressive symptoms, and the effects on infant development of these maternal factors.MethodsParticipants were 246 pregnant women from 2 sites in Western Ukraine from whom longitudinal data were collected as part of a multisite study. In the first trimester, mothers reported on relationship satisfaction, partner substance use, and socioeconomic status (SES). In the third trimester, they reported on alcohol use and depressive symptoms. Infants were assessed using the Bayley Scale of Infant Development (average age = 6.93 months). A latent construct titled partner influence was formed using partner substance use and measures of relationship satisfaction, including the frequency of quarreling, happiness in the relationship, and the ease of talking with the partner. Using structural equation modeling, a model was specified in which partner influence and SES predicted maternal alcohol use and depressive symptoms, which in turn predicted infant neurodevelopmental outcomes.ResultsHigher partner influence significantly predicted lower prenatal alcohol use and lower depressive symptoms, controlling for the effect of SES. Higher maternal prenatal alcohol use significantly predicted lower infant mental and psychomotor development. Maternal depressive symptoms did not predict infant development over and above the effect of alcohol use.ConclusionsPartner influence is an important contributor to prenatal alcohol use and maternal depressive symptoms, over and above the effect of SES. The significant paths from prenatal alcohol exposure to infant neurodevelopmental outcomes underscore the importance of partner influence during pregnancy.
- Published
- 2021