Female Adolescent Drug Abuse: Biobehavioral Development

Project Title:	Female Adolescent Drug Abuse: Biobehavioral Development
Grant/Contract Number:	R01 DA05952-08
Type of Project:	Research
Funding Agency:	National Institute on Drug Abuse
Agency Contact Person:	Coryl LaRue Jones, Ph.D. (301) 443-6637
Principal Investigator:	Ada Mezzich, Ph.D.
Mailing Address:	CEDAR, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Total Project Duration:	07/01/95 to 05/30/00
FY 98 Total Costs:	$376,763
Total Project Budget:	$1,870,424
Child Maltreatment Focus:	Secondary
Type of Abuse:	Physical, Emotional, Sexual, Neglect; Undifferentiated
Sample Size:	120
Age of Subjects:	Adolescent mothers and their infants
Child Abuse and Neglect Focus of This Project:	Origins and Consequences
Summary

This is a prospective longitudinal study of infants and their adolescent mothers. The young pregnant women (12 to 18 years of age), who were recruited through the Juvenile Court, met diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders (DSM-IV) when they were recruited during their first pregnancy. These teen mothers had histories of sexual and physical abuse as children. This study focuses on the mothers' comorbid behaviors, assertive mating (repeat pregnancies, serial partners, sexually transmitted diseases) and patterns of drug use. The developmental outcomes and experiences of their children are likewise assessed.