MOTHER-TODDLER PLAY INTERACTION - A CONTRAST OF SUBSTANCE-EXPOSED ANDNONEXPOSED CHILDREN

Recent studies have raised concerns about whether the play of cocaine- exposed or polysubstance-exposed children is deficient or disturbed, p resumably as a result of the prenatal exposure. In this study, the qua lity of toddler play did not differ between 13 low income polysubstanc e-exposed and 13 low income nonexposed toddlers when rated in a 16-min ute play session in their own homes with their mothers. Specifically, there were no differences in either cognitive or affective dimensions of play, as rated by observers who were blind to exposure status. In a ddition, the quality of maternal support for the play, as rated using the Parent/Caregiver Interaction Scale, did not differ between the two groups. Positive aspects of the mothers' behavior in supporting her c hild's play were predictive of higher quality child play. Power analys es suggest that the sample size was sufficient to have detected group differences if they had in fact existed.