PSYC 210 - Reaction Essay: Prenatal Development Article Analysis

This reaction essay analyzes a scholarly article concerning the cognitive outcomes in children exposed to prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME). The essay summarizes the article's findings, which indicate that PME can lead to impairments in cognitive abilities, including issues with intelligence, attention, and language function. The study, which involved children aged six to seven, also highlighted the impact of maternal education on cognitive development. The essay further discusses the testing methods used to assess cognitive development, such as the Kaufman Assessment Battery and the Beery Developmental Test of visual-motor integration. The author reflects on the skills gained from this assignment, including the ability to identify and utilize scholarly resources, and the understanding of statistical analysis in cognitive development research. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing the cognitive challenges faced by children with PME and their implications on their psychological development.

Running head: REACTION ESSAY ON PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
REACTION ESSAY ON PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1
REACTION ESSAY ON PRENATAL DEVELOPMENTREACTION ESSAY ON
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
The main points of this article reveal the fact that prenatal methamphetamine exposure
(PME) has a negative impact on cognitive abilities. PME children of ages six to seven have
impairment in behavioural controls and executing certain functions. The problems are mainly
associated with intelligence (IQ) and providing attention to any fact being stated to the children.
PME children had language function problems too compared to healthy children. Newborns were
found to suffer from hypotonia, and a condition of bad physical fitness were also observed in
children of 15 years of age. Hypotonia is associated with reduced muscle strength, and a
decreased muscle tone is also evident (Maranella et al., 2019). This article also states that the
level of maternal education also affects a child's IQ and cognitive development. Small sample
with a narrow age range was taken for the experiment. Limitations of this study include the data
collection basis on one-word answers (yes or no). Polydrug exposure can combine with
methamphetamine exposure effects. On summary, this study states that PME leads to impairment
across function in every domain. The findings also suggest that factors of contextual demography
have impacted over cognitive development in children. All the above-stated factors have been
supported by the article (Chan et al., 2016).
After studying the article written by Kwiatkowsaki et al., (2018), we can learn about
all the cognitive problems associated with methamphetamine exposure. In the paper stated
above, scientific tests were performed to check the psychological development process in
children. Kaufman Assessment Battery procedure for children can be used to measure their IQ.
Non-verbal subtests can also be performed to check the psychological development among six
and seven-year-old children. Visual, along with motor abilities of children can be tested by Beery
Developmental test for visual-motor integration (Kwiatkowsaki et al., 2018). This test can check
the ability of a child to visualize correctly and integrate what he or she has visualized, inside

2
REACTION ESSAY ON PRENATAL DEVELOPMENTREACTION ESSAY ON
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
their minds (). We can learn that all the parents who were exposed to alcohol and drugs, gave
birth to children with cognitive problems. Children with methamphetamine exposure have many
impairments. A positive evaluation of prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME) can be made
by stating that PME children cannot connect their motor and visualization property. This
condition affects their psychological developments and makes them slow responders that healthy
children. This condition is a severe matter and needs to be taken care of shortly.
From this assignment, I have identified a few skills that can help me in using scholarly
resources. This assignment uses various testing strategies for cognitive development analysis.
There are also some statistical analysis procedures even (Kwiatkowsaki et al., 2018). Brief
description of the cognitive development process is also stated here. These resources help me to
think in a more logical way rather than memorizing segments. Scholarly sources can also be
found out, which relates to these topics. After knowing the gist of all the above-stated kills, it has
been easier for me to find more scholarly resources about these skills.

3
REACTION ESSAY ON PRENATAL DEVELOPMENTREACTION ESSAY ON
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
References:
Chang, L., Oishi, K., Skranes, J., Buchthal, S., Cunningham, E., Yamakawa, R., ... & Cloak, C.
(2016). Sex-specific alterations of white matter developmental trajectories in infants with
prenatal exposure to methamphetamine and tobacco. JAMA psychiatry, 73(12), 1217-
1227.
Kwiatkowski, M. A., Donald, K. A., Stein, D. J., Ipser, J., Thomas, K. G. F., & Roos, A. (2018).
Cognitive outcomes in prenatal methamphetamine exposed children aged six to seven
years. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 80, 24-33. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.08.003
Maranella, E., Mareri, A., Nardi, V., Di Natale, C., Di Luca, L., Conte, E., ... & Di Fabio, S.
(2019). Severe neurologic and hepatic toxicity in a newborn prenatally exposed to
methamphetamine. A case report. Brain and Development, 41(2), 191-194.
Roos, A., Kwiatkowski, M. A., Fouche, J. P., Narr, K. L., Thomas, K. G., Stein, D. J., & Donald,
K. A. (2015). White matter integrity and cognitive performance in children with prenatal
methamphetamine exposure. Behavioural brain research, 279, 62-67.