The opioid epidemic over the past two decades has raised concerns regarding the developmental fetal impact of prenatal opioid use. Research in this area continues to grow, but largely has focused on treatment for neonates experiencing withdrawal symptoms postnatally. Long term clinical implications for this at-risk population have not been studied extensively leaving many gaps in research and highlighting the need for future empirical studies. This literature review will examine the neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and the behavioral/social/emotional impacts on infants, toddlers, and school aged children who were prenatally exposed to opioids with or without the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Providing a deeper understanding of the possible short- and long-term impacts of these children will better inform physicians, clinicians, teachers, and caregivers on the importance of implementing early interventions with children in this at-risk population.
","abstract_html":"<p>The opioid epidemic over the past two decades has raised concerns regarding the developmental fetal impact of prenatal opioid use. Research in this area continues to grow, but largely has focused on treatment for neonates experiencing withdrawal symptoms postnatally. Long term clinical implications for this at-risk population have not been studied extensively leaving many gaps in research and highlighting the need for future empirical studies. This literature review will examine the neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and the behavioral/social/emotional impacts on infants, toddlers, and school aged children who were prenatally exposed to opioids with or without the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Providing a deeper understanding of the possible short- and long-term impacts of these children will better inform physicians, clinicians, teachers, and caregivers on the importance of implementing early interventions with children in this at-risk population.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gore, Candice"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Clinical Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Elizabeth Lane, PhD","Kathie Bates, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:28Z","subjects":["neonatal abstinence syndrome","prenatal opioid exposure","neurophysiological","neuropsychological","behavioral","social","emotional","Child Psychology","Cognitive Psychology","Developmental Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/711","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Elizabeth Lane, PhD","Kathie Bates, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gore, Candice"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-12-24T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Clinical Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["neonatal abstinence syndrome","prenatal opioid exposure","neurophysiological","neuropsychological","behavioral","social","emotional","Child Psychology","Cognitive Psychology","Developmental Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/711"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The opioid epidemic over the past two decades has raised concerns regarding the developmental fetal impact of prenatal opioid use. Research in this area continues to grow, but largely has focused on treatment for neonates experiencing withdrawal symptoms postnatally. Long term clinical implications for this at-risk population have not been studied extensively leaving many gaps in research and highlighting the need for future empirical studies. This literature review will examine the neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and the behavioral/social/emotional impacts on infants, toddlers, and school aged children who were prenatally exposed to opioids with or without the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Providing a deeper understanding of the possible short- and long-term impacts of these children will better inform physicians, clinicians, teachers, and caregivers on the importance of implementing early interventions with children in this at-risk population.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Prenatal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Review of the Neurophysiological, Neuropsychological, and Behavioral/Emotional/Social Impacts in the Pediatric Population"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Elizabeth Lane, PhD","Kathie Bates, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Gore, Candice"],"dc:date.available":["2022-12-24T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The opioid epidemic over the past two decades has raised concerns regarding the developmental fetal impact of prenatal opioid use. Research in this area continues to grow, but largely has focused on treatment for neonates experiencing withdrawal symptoms postnatally. Long term clinical implications for this at-risk population have not been studied extensively leaving many gaps in research and highlighting the need for future empirical studies. This literature review will examine the neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and the behavioral/social/emotional impacts on infants, toddlers, and school aged children who were prenatally exposed to opioids with or without the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Providing a deeper understanding of the possible short- and long-term impacts of these children will better inform physicians, clinicians, teachers, and caregivers on the importance of implementing early interventions with children in this at-risk population.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/711"],"dc:subject":["neonatal abstinence syndrome","prenatal opioid exposure","neurophysiological","neuropsychological","behavioral","social","emotional","Child Psychology","Cognitive Psychology","Developmental Psychology"],"dc:title":["Prenatal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Review of the Neurophysiological, Neuropsychological, and Behavioral/Emotional/Social Impacts in the Pediatric Population"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Clinical Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Psy.D. Doctor of Clinical Psychology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:28Z"}