Cognitive and Motor Development in Infants of Adolescent Mothers: A Longitudinal Analysis

Abstract

A longitudinal study of cognitive and motor development among infants born to adolescent mothers was conducted with 58 adolescent mothers and a control group of 59 adult mothers. The experimental and control groups were matched on race (white/black), parity, prenatal care, and SES. Data were obtained on antepartum, delivery, and postpartum performance of the mothers, along with data on infant status within each maternal group. Additionally, infants from each maternal group were followed longitudinally over the first year of life. Measures of infant mental and motor development test performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were obtained at six and 12 months of age. The HOME Inventory was also used to obtain ratings of the infant home environment at six and 12 months of age. No differences were observed in the incidence of infant or maternal complications between the adolescent and adult maternal groups. However, birthweight, cesarean section, and labor and delivery complications were significantly related to race, with black subjects experiencing less favorable outcomes on these variables. Infants born to adolescent mothers scored significantly lower on the Mental Development Index of the Bayley relative to controls. Black infants also performed significantly lower on this Index compared to white infants. Home environments of infants born to adolescents were found to be significantly less nurturant than those of controls, and the HOME ratings for black subjects were significantly lower than those for whites.