Maternal personality traits associated with patterns of prenatal smoking and exposure: Implications for etiologic and prevention research.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the characteristics of women who smoke during pregnancy beyond demographic factors. We examined the relationship between novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and self-directedness and (a) abstinence from smoking during pregnancy and (b) average daily cigarette consumption during pregnancy.


METHODS
Participants were 826 birth mothers who made adoption placements in the Early Growth and Development Study and completed the Temperament and Character Inventory - Short Form, and interview-based smoking assessments 3-6 months postpartum. Never smokers (n=199), pregnancy abstainers (n=277), pregnancy light smokers (n=184), and pregnancy heavy smokers (n=166) were compared on personality dimensions and smoking-related processes. Using regression analyses we examined relationships between personality and (a) abstinence versus smoking during pregnancy; and (b) average daily cigarette consumption among lifetime smokers, controlling for nicotine dependence, birth father substance dependence, maternal antisocial behavior, and depressive symptoms during pregnancy.


RESULTS
Smokers with higher self-directedness and lower harm avoidance were more likely to abstain during pregnancy [O.R. 1.380; 95% C.I. (1.065-1.787); B(SE)=.322(.132); p=.015] and [O.R. .713; 95% C.I. (.543-.935); B(SE)=-.339(.138); p=.014], respectively. Novelty seeking differentiated never smokers from lifetime smokers (t=-3.487; p=.001), but was not significant in multivariate models. Lifetime smokers who abstained during pregnancy reported fewer depressive symptoms relative to never smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
Personality dimensions associated with abstinence from smoking and cigarettes per day during pregnancy may be important to consider in etiologic and intervention research.
['Massey|Suena H|SH|', 'Reiss|David|D|', 'Neiderhiser|Jenae M|JM|', 'Leve|Leslie D|LD|', 'Shaw|Daniel S|DS|', 'Ganiban|Jody M|JM|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D001362:Avoidance Learning D058999:Drug-Seeking Behavior D005260:Female D006801:Humans D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations D010554:Personality Disorders D010555:Personality Inventory D011247:Pregnancy D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales D012044:Regression Analysis D012907:Smoking D055815:Young Adult
Personality Temperament Externalizing problems Pregnancy smoking Smoking cessation