This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow View responses
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Related articles in BJP
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Right arrow Citing Articles via Scopus
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by BUTTON, T. M. M.
Right arrow Articles by McGUFFIN, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by BUTTON, T. M. M.
Right arrow Articles by McGUFFIN, P.
The British Journal of Psychiatry (2005) 187: 155-160
© 2005 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Relationship between antisocial behaviour, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and maternal prenatal smoking

T. M. M. BUTTON, PhD

Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF

A. THAPAR, MRCPsych

Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff

P. McGUFFIN, FRCPsych

Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London

Correspondence: Dr T. M. M. Button, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, 447 UCB, Boulder, CO80309-447, USA. E-mail: tanya.button{at}colorado.edu

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgement.

Background There is substantial evidence that maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with both antisocial behaviour and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring. However, it is not clear whether maternal smoking during pregnancy is independently associated with antisocial behaviour or whether the association arises because antisocial behaviour and ADHD covary.

Aims To examine the relationship between maternal smoking during pregnancy, antisocial behaviour and ADHD in offspring.

Method Questionnaires concerning behaviour and environmental factors were sent to twins from the CaStANET study and data analysed using a number of bivariate structural equation models.

Results Maternal prenatal smoking contributed small but significant amounts to the variance of ADHD and of antisocial behaviour. The best fitting bivariate model was one in which maternal prenatal smoking had a specific influence on each phenotype, independent of the effect on the other phenotype.

Conclusions Both antisocial behaviour and ADHD symptoms in offspring are independently influenced by maternal prenatal smoking during pregnancy.


Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue
KIMBERLIE DEAN
BJP 2005 187: 101-a5. [Full Text]  

PETER TYRER
BJP 2005 187: 202. [Full Text]  



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
M. Blair
How has research in the past 5 years changed my practice?
Arch. Dis. Child., March 1, 2007; 92(3): 246 - 250.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
P. TYRER

The British Journal of Psychiatry, January 1, 2007; 190(1): 90 - 90.
[Full Text] [PDF]

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

This may be due to increased maternal testosterone...
James M. Howard
BJP Online, 19 Aug 2005 [Full text]