The sample included 131 infants and their mothers who were recruited into the study
during the infant’s first two weeks of life. These dyads were part of a larger research program
focused on early development of low birth weight infants. The sample was ethnically diverse,
including 46% Caucasian, 28.4% Hispanic, 19.3% African American, and 6.5% Asian or
Native American babies. Their weight ranged from 570 g to 2500 g with a mean birthweight
of 1487 g (SD 5 547). Ninety-four percent of the babies had a gestational age of less than
37 weeks, with a sample mean of 32 weeks. Forty-four percent of the babies were girls and
56% were boys, with 22% known to have been drug exposed in utero. Mothers had a mean
age of 29 years (SD 5 7), ranging from 16 to 44. They averaged 12.5 years of education,
with a spread from 1 to 20 years. Eighty-one percent of the mothers lived with their partner,
but not necessarily a spouse. Forty-five percent of the mothers were living below the poverty
level. Sixty-one percent were employed at least part-time, with 29% being the sole support
for their family