This study examined the quality of caregiver-child interaction as measured by the Parent/ Caregiver Involvement Scale (PCIS), with a sample of 41 preschoolers who were prenatally exposed to cocaine and 39 nonexposed preschoolers. Within the cocaine group, 19 children were in the care of relatives or foster caregivers and 22 were in the care of their biological mothers. Results suggest that mothers of nonexposed children were significantly more emotionally and developmentally appropriate than caregivers of prenatally cocaine-exposed children, and no significant differences in interaction behavior were found between biological mothers and foster caregivers of prenatally cocaine-exposed children. The importance of conceptualizing this population of children within the context of their environment is stressed.
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