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A developmental origins perspective on the emergence of violent behavior in males with prenatal substance exposure

Sarah Terrell1, Elisabeth Conradt1, Lynne Dansereau2

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Infant Mental Health Journal
|December 22, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal substance exposure increases children's risk for violence. Early life factors like temperament and stress significantly impact male adolescent violent behavior, especially under certain caregiving conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Child psychiatry
  • Behavioral science

Background:

  • Children with prenatal substance exposure face higher risks for externalizing behaviors and violence.
  • The specific early life experiences contributing to this risk are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the impact of infant temperament, maternal sensitivity, and early life stress on violent behavior in adolescents with prenatal substance exposure.
  • To compare deficit models and differential susceptibility frameworks in explaining the developmental origins of male violent behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of a sample of 1,388 children with prenatal substance exposure from the Maternal Lifestyle Study.
  • Examination of violent behavior at ages 12-14 years in relation to early life factors.

Main Results:

  • Early life experiences, including temperament, maternal sensitivity, and stress, influence violent behavior in males during early adolescence.
  • Individual differences in temperament and exposure to adversity appear to moderate risk.

Conclusions:

  • Early caregiving experiences and adversity play a crucial role in the development of violent behavior in males exposed to substances prenatally.
  • The differential susceptibility model may better explain how these early factors influence long-term behavioral outcomes.

Keywords:
GeschlechtsunterschiedeGewaltStress in frühen LebensphasenTemperamentdiferencias de sexodifférences de sexeearly life stressestar expuesto prenatalmente a sustanciasestrés en la temprana vidaexposition prénatale aux drogues ou à d'autres substances novicesprenatal substance exposurepränatale Substanzexpositionsex differencesstress de vie précocetemperamenttemperamentotempéramentviolenceviolenciaالعنف، التعرض للمواد قبل الولادة، الاختلافات بين، الجنسينالمزاج العام، الإجهاد العصبي المبكر性別差異性差早年生活壓力早期のストレス暴力気質氣質產前暴露胎児期の薬物曝露

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