Urban Young Adults’ Adaptive Functioning: Is There an Association With History of Prenatal Exposure to Cocaine and Other Substances?

Research on the association between prenatal substance exposures and adaptive functioning among young adults is limited, with inconsistent conclusions. In a prospective longitudinal study of 138 urban young adults, prenatal substance exposures were identified at birth from maternal self-report, urine screens, and/or infant meconium. At follow-up between ages 18 and 24 years, masked interviewers assessed level of adaptive functioning, a composite indicator comprising five domains: education, housing, adolescent pregnancy, arrest history, and employment. A significant negative association was found between prenatal tobacco exposure and adaptive functioning, particularly among females with heavier exposure. This association with heavier, but not lighter, prenatal tobacco exposure is consistent with a neuroteratologic explanation, but other, non-biological explanations cannot be ruled out. No statistically significant associations were observed between prenatal cocaine, marijuana, or low-moderate alcohol exposure and young adult adaptive functioning.