Abstract
In one study of children in 27 families with maternal retardation, those children with higher intelligence quotient (IQ) were more likely to have multiple behavior problems than those with lower IQ. If true, this result would affect clinical practice, but it has not been replicated. Because the setting of the initial observation is similar to the setting of childhood lead poisoning, we attempted a replication using data from the Treatment of Lead-Exposed Children (TLC) study, in which 780 children aged 12–33 mo with blood lead levels 20–44 μg/dL were randomized to either succimer treatment or placebo and then followed up to 5 y. Of 656 mothers of TLC children with IQ measured, 113 demonstrated mental retardation (IQ <70). Whether maternal IQ was <70 or ≥70, children with IQ ≥85 were rated more favorably on cognitive tests and behavioral questionnaires than children with IQ <85; these measures included Conners' Parent Rating Scale–Revised at age 5, the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment at ages 5 and 7, and the Behavioral Assessment System for Children at age 7. Among children of mothers with IQ <70, those with IQ ≥85 did not show more severe clinical behavioral problems, nor were they more likely to show multiple behavior problems. Children with higher IQ have fewer behavior problems, irrespective of the mother's IQ. In the special setting of mothers with IQ <70, children with higher IQ are not at greater risk of behavior problems.
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Abbreviations
- BASC-PRS:
-
Behavioral Assessment System for Children–Parent Rating Scale
- BASC-TRS:
-
Behavioral Assessment System for Children–Teacher Rating Scale
- CPRS-R:
-
Conners' Parent Rating Scale–Revised
- CPT:
-
Conners' Continuous Performance Test
- CVLTC:
-
California Verbal Learning Test for Children
- IQ:
-
intelligence quotient
- NEPSY:
-
Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment
- NESS:
-
Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs
- TLC:
-
Treatment of Lead-Exposed Children Study
- WLPB-R:
-
Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery–Revised
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Presented, in part, at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, May 14–17, 2005, Washington, DC.The Treatment of Lead-Exposed Children Trial was supported by the NIEHS in cooperation with the NIH Office of Minority Health, and by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Succimer and placebo capsules were gifts from McNeil Labs, Fort Washington, PA.
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Chen, A., Schwarz, D., Radcliffe, J. et al. Maternal IQ, Child IQ, Behavior, and Achievement in Urban 5–7 Year Olds. Pediatr Res 59, 471–477 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000199910.16681.f0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000199910.16681.f0
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