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Similar and functionally typical kinematic reaching parameters in 7‐ and 15‐month‐old in utero cocaine‐exposed and unexposed infants
Author(s) -
Tronick E. Z.,
Fetters Linda,
Olson Karen L.,
Chen Yuping
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.20002
Subject(s) - kinematics , in utero , movement (music) , prenatal exposure , medicine , psychology , pediatrics , biology , gestation , fetus , pregnancy , physics , classical mechanics , acoustics , genetics
This study examined the effects of intrauterine cocaine exposure on the reaches of 19 exposed and 15 unexposed infants at 7 and 15 months using kinematic measures. Infants sat at a table and reached for a rattle, a toy doll, and a chair. Videotaped reaches were digitized using the Peak Performance system. Kinematic movement variables were extracted (e.g., reach duration, peak velocity, movement units, path length) and ratios computed (e.g., path length divided by number of movement units). Regardless of exposure status, reaches of older infants were faster, more direct, had fewer movement units, and covered more distance with the first movement unit. Exposed infants covered more distance per movement unit than unexposed infants, but there were no other significant differences. Reaches of exposed and unexposed infants were essentially similar. Importantly, reach parameters for these high‐risk infants were similar to reach parameters for infants at lower social and biological risk. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 44: 168–175, 2004.