Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System
06:07

Cigarette Smoke Exposure in Mice using a Whole-Body Inhalation System

Published on: October 22, 2020

7.7K

Early childhood exposure to secondhand smoke and behavioural problems in preschoolers

Tzu Tsun Luk1, Man Ping Wang2, Yi Nam Suen3

  • 1School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.

Scientific Reports
|October 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Secondhand smoke exposure in early childhood, measured by cotinine levels, is linked to increased conduct problems and hyperactivity in preschoolers. This finding highlights the risks of environmental tobacco smoke for child behavioral health.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Limited evidence exists on behavioral abnormalities in children exposed to secondhand smoke.
  • Secondhand smoke exposure is a significant environmental risk factor for child health.
  • Biomarkers like cotinine are crucial for quantifying exposure levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between secondhand smoke exposure and behavioral problems in preschoolers.
  • To examine the relationship between infant/toddler cotinine concentration and preschooler behavioral outcomes.
  • To assess behavioral health in children not exposed to maternal smoking during gestation but exposed to secondhand smoke.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study of 301 non-smoking mothers and their children (≤18 months).
  • Salivary cotinine levels measured at baseline as a biomarker for secondhand smoke exposure.
  • Child behavioral health assessed at 3-year follow-up using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).
  • Multivariable linear regressions adjusted for covariates.

Main Results:

  • Higher cotinine concentrations in early childhood were significantly associated with increased conduct problems (b=0.90).
  • Higher cotinine concentrations were also linked to greater hyperactivity/inattention (b=1.12).
  • These associations remained significant after adjusting for multiple confounding factors.

Conclusions:

  • Secondhand smoke exposure in early childhood is associated with adverse behavioral outcomes in preschoolers.
  • Cotinine levels serve as a reliable indicator of secondhand smoke exposure and its impact.
  • Findings support the role of environmental tobacco smoke in the development of child behavioral problems.

More Related Videos

Comparing the Effects of Electronic Cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke in a Novel In Vivo Exposure System10:44

Comparing the Effects of Electronic Cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke in a Novel In Vivo Exposure System

Published on: May 24, 2017

12.1K
Isolation of Mouse Respiratory Epithelial Cells and Exposure to Experimental Cigarette Smoke at Air Liquid Interface10:47

Isolation of Mouse Respiratory Epithelial Cells and Exposure to Experimental Cigarette Smoke at Air Liquid Interface

Published on: February 21, 2011

35.0K

Related Concept Videos

Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood01:28

Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Childhood

Erik Erikson, a stage theorist, adapted Freud's theory to emphasize social factors in personality development throughout life, a concept known as psychosocial development. Unlike Freud, who focused on early childhood, Erikson believed that personality evolves across eight life stages, each marked by a specific challenge or "crisis." Successful resolution of each stage fosters competence, while failure may lead to feelings of inadequacy.
The first four of Erikson's eight...
1.0K
Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood01:25

Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
1.6K
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
22.4K
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships. 
50.0K
Biological Effects of Radiation02:59

Biological Effects of Radiation

All radioactive nuclides emit high-energy particles or electromagnetic waves. When this radiation encounters living cells, it can cause heating, break chemical bonds, or ionize molecules. The most serious biological damage results when these radioactive emissions fragment or ionize molecules. For example, α and β particles emitted from nuclear decay reactions possess much higher energies than ordinary chemical bond energies. When these particles strike and penetrate matter, they...
17.9K
Relationship Formation02:12

Relationship Formation

What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
46.2K