The current study
differs from previous investigations in that — instead of relying only on participants» answers to survey questions about their
use of stimulants and other drugs,
alcohol consumption and other factors including quality of life — it relied on structured interviews that have been validated for the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric
disorders, including substance -
use disorders.
This
differs from previous studies that
use this cohort, where exposure in pregnancy had a significantly greater effect on other types of adverse child outcomes.23 28 These findings may indicate that the relationship between school attendance and maternal
alcohol use disorders is not primarily driven by the neurobehavioural effects of
alcohol during pregnancy, but rather a complex family and social environment in which school attendance is not a priority or not well monitored.