Maternal personality traits associated with patterns of prenatal smoking and exposure: Implications for etiologic and prevention research

Suena H. Massey*, David Reiss, Jenae M. Neiderhiser, Leslie D. Leve, Daniel S. Shaw, Jody M. Ganiban

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the characteristics of women who smoke during pregnancy beyond demographic factors. We examined the relationship between novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and self-directedness and (a) abstinence from smoking during pregnancy and (b) average daily cigarette consumption during pregnancy. Methods: Participants were 826 birth mothers who made adoption placements in the Early Growth and Development Study and completed the Temperament and Character Inventory - Short Form, and interview-based smoking assessments 3-6 months postpartum. Never smokers (n = 199), pregnancy abstainers ( n = 277), pregnancy light smokers (n = 184), and pregnancy heavy smokers (n = 166) were compared on personality dimensions and smoking-related processes. Using regression analyses we examined relationships between personality and (a) abstinence versus smoking during pregnancy; and (b) average daily cigarette consumption among lifetime smokers, controlling for nicotine dependence, birth father substance dependence, maternal antisocial behavior, and depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Results: Smokers with higher self-directedness and lower harm avoidance were more likely to abstain during pregnancy [O.R. 1.380; 95% C.I. (1.065-1.787); B(SE) = .322(.132); p = .015] and [O.R. .713; 95% C.I. (.543-.935); B(SE) = -.339(.138); p = .014], respectively. Novelty seeking differentiated never smokers from lifetime smokers (t = - 3.487; p = .001), but was not significant in multivariate models. Lifetime smokers who abstained during pregnancy reported fewer depressive symptoms relative to never smokers. Conclusions: Personality dimensions associated with abstinence from smoking and cigarettes per day during pregnancy may be important to consider in etiologic and intervention research.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)48-54
Number of pages7
JournalNeurotoxicology and Teratology
Volume53
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2016

Funding

This project was supported by grant R01 HD042608 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) to Drs. Reiss (Years 1–5) and Leve (Years 6–10); grant R01 DA020585 from NIDA, the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) and OBSSR to Dr. Neiderhiser, and grant K23 DA037913 from NIDA to Dr. Massey. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver NICHD, NIDA, or the National Institutes of Health. The NICHD, NIDA, NIMH, and OBSSR had no role in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication.

Keywords

  • Externalizing problems
  • Personality
  • Pregnancy smoking
  • Smoking cessation
  • Temperament

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Toxicology

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