ASSOCIATION OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE WITH BEHAVIORAL AND LEARNING-PROBLEMS IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE

Objective: To examine the association of moderate levels of prenatal a lcohol exposure with learning and behavior in early adolescence. Metho d: A population-based cohort of 464 children were followed longitudina lly from birth to age 14 years. Alcohol exposure was assessed via in-d epth maternal self-report in the fifth month of pregnancy. At age 14, learning and behavior were assessed with multiple measures, tapping pa rent, teenager, and psychologist viewpoints, drawn from adolescent lab oratory examination and parent phone interview. The underlying pattern of association between prenatal alcohol and adolescent outcome was de tected using partial least-squares statistical techniques; confounding factors were dealt with by regression methods. Results: Analyses reve aled a statistically significant, subtle relationship between greater prenatal alcohol use and increased behavior/learning difficulties duri ng adolescence, even after accounting for other developmental influenc es. ''Binge'' maternal drinking and exposure early in pregnancy were a ssociated with a profile of adolescent antisocial behavior, school pro blems, and self-perceived learning difficulties. Conclusions: Fetal al cohol exposure (even at ''social drinking'' levels) is associated with developmental difficulties in adolescence that are consistent with pr oblems seen earlier in life. Clinicians should understand the potentia l role prenatal alcohol exposure prays in behavioral and cognitive pro blems.