TITLE

How Prenatal Pollution Exposure Can Lead to Behavior Problems in Children

DESCRIPTION

This article discusses a series of studies that investigated whether exposure to high levels of pollution during pregnancy affects psychological, emotional, and behavioral variables in children.  The studies found “… stronger evidence now about how that air pollution can affect even growing babies in the womb…. Among the 462 children monitored, those whose mothers showed higher levels of PAH  polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons —air pollution) at delivery (an indicator of PAH levels during pregnancy), were less likely to regulate their behaviors and emotions at age 9 and 11 than those whose mothers showed lower levels of the pollutant.”  The studies further cited in the article point out the other areas (attention, aggression, socialization issues) may also show disruption in children exposed to high levels of pollution prenatally.

SOURCE

Time Magazine, March 17, 2016, by Alice Park

LINK TO RESOURCE

http://time.com/4263089/prenatal-polution-behavior-problems/

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

•Begin the discussion with the concept of teratogens and prenatal development.
•According to the article, what aspects of development are affected by the exposure to high levels of air pollution?
•If time permits to examine the cited research in the article, ask the students to identify the types of research (correlation, cross sectional, longitudinal) and relate it to the science of Psychology.