Ma. Zelenko et al., The Child Abuse Potential inventory and pregnancy outcome in expectant adolescent mothers, CHILD ABUSE, 25(11), 2001, pp. 1481-1495
Objective: The study explores the prenatal Child Abuse Potential (pCAP) sco
res derived from the Child Abuse Potential Inventory administered to expect
ant adolescent mothers. The aim of the study was to assess the association
of the pCAP scores with maternal negative prenatal behaviors, and evaluate
the contribution of the pCAP scores to neonatal morbidity.
Method: The pCAP scores, demographic data, and self-report on prenatal beha
viors were obtained during the second half of the pregnancy in a sample of
45 poor single adolescent mothers. A pediatrician blind to the prenatal dat
a reviewed the neonatal records to assess neonatal morbidity. Maternal pren
atal records were reviewed for obstetric risk assessment by an obstetrician
who was blind to the rest of the data. The relations among the pCAP scores
, prenatal behaviors, and neonatal morbidity were analyzed.
Results: In the prenatal period, the pCAP scores were positively correlated
with self-reported prenatal smoking and substance use. The multiple linear
regression analysis showed that the pCAP scores significantly contributed
to neonatal morbidity independently of obstetric risk factors.
Conclusions: The Child Abuse Potential scores obtained during pregnancy in
poor single adolescent mothers reflect domains of maternal functioning that
are associated with negative prenatal behaviors and appear to be important
for predicting neonatal morbidity. Further studies are warranted to valida
te the prenatal use of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory. (C) 2001 Elsevi
er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.