The risk for impaired learning-related abilities in childhood and educational attainment among adults born near-term.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether near-term births (NTB) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants are at high risk for childhood learning-related problems and poor adult educational attainment, and whether poverty amplifies the adverse effects of NTB and SGA on those outcomes.


METHODS
A randomly selected birth cohort (n = 1,619) was followed into adulthood. IQ and learning abilities were measured in childhood and educational attainment was measured in adulthood.


RESULTS
NTB (n = 226) and SGA (n = 154) were associated with lower educational attainment mediated through learning-related abilities at age 7. Childhood poverty moderated the impact of NTB on educational attainment both directly and mediated through lower learning-related abilities. Poverty did not moderate the effect of SGA.


CONCLUSIONS
Poorer learning-related outcomes and educational attainment were not limited to children born very (<32 weeks) or extremely (<28 weeks) preterm, especially among those living in poverty. Targeted interventions such as remedial learning during childhood among NTB in poor families may yield higher educational attainment.
Nomura
Yoko
Y
Department of Psychiatry, Queens College, New York, NY, USA. yoko.nomura@mssm.edu
Halperin
Jeffrey M
JM
Newcorn
Jeffrey H
JH
Davey
Charles
C
Fifer
William P
WP
Savitz
David A
DA
Brooks-Gunn
Jeanne
J
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development / Q000523:psychology*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development / Q000523:psychology*; D007360:Intelligence; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007858:Learning; D009519:New York City; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
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