SPONTANEOUS PLAY IN 2-YEAR-OLDS BORN TO SUBSTANCE-ABUSING MOTHERS

The aim of the study was to determine if spontaneous play was altered in 2-year-olds born to polysubstance-abusing mothers. The study is par t of a longitudinal research project of chronic substance-abusing moth ers and their children living in poverty in the inner city of Los Ange les, identified in the hospital at birth by positive urine-toxicology screens, and compared to non-substance-abusing mothers and their child ren living in the same geographic area, of similar ethnic group and so cioeconomic and marital status. The behavior of the 31 target and 21 c omparison children in the 16-minute procedure was measured by frequenc y counts of manipulative, functional, and symbolic acts as well as by ratings of the quality of play. The play of the prenatally drug-expose d children differed from the comparison group by demonstrating signifi cantly more immature play strategies, less sustained attention, more d eviant behaviors, and fewer positive social interactions with their ca regivers.