The proposed continuation study will follow two cohorts of pre- maritally pregnant young women, aged 17 or younger. Cohort 1 is the original sample of 241 young women who have been followed through the first 18 months postpartum. We propose to continue following these young women (only one of which has been lost to the study). Through structured interviews conducted every six months, we will continue charting the natural history of drug use among these young women as they enter young adulthood and their children progress through preschool years (ages 3 through 6). We will also collect data related to parenting attitudes and behaviors, parental verbal ability, and assessments of parent-child attachment and child development. Guided by Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action model, we will assess the specific outcome and normative beliefs associated with drug use, attitudes and norms toward using drugs, and intention to use drugs will be measured, along with self- efficacy beliefs regarding drug use, at each interview. The longitudinal effect of maternal drug use on parenting, and thereby on child development outcomes, will be also be examined. Simultaneously, Cohort 2, an additional sample of 250 pre-maritally pregnant young women, will be recruited. Similar measures will be gathered for this cohort. The second cohort will add information on the relationship of parenting attitudes and behavior, child development, maternal verbal ability and Theory of Reasoned Action variables to child development during the child's first 3 years. In addition, Cohort 2 data will allow tests of hypotheses developed from analyses of Cohort 1 data and independent replication of Cohort 1 findings. The findings of this study will extend our understanding of both the predictors of drug use among very young mothers and the effects of such drug use on maternal behaviors, mother-child bonding, and child development.
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