The development of effortful control in children born preterm.
This prospective longitudinal study examined emerging effortful control skills at 24- and 36-months postterm in 172 children born preterm (<36 weeks gestation). Infant (neonatal health risks), family (sociodemographic risks), and maternal risk factors (depressive symptoms, anger expressions during play interactions) were assessed at six time points across 3 years. In addition, children's emerging effortful control skills, cognitive development, and mother-reported behavior and attention problems were assessed at 24 and 36 months. Analyses documented links between effortful control skills, cognitive skills, and concurrent attention problems in children born preterm. The study also found that preterm children's effortful control skills improved over time. In addition, neonatal health risks, family sociodemographic risks, and angry parenting interactions were associated with less optimal effortful control skills.
Poehlmann
Julie
J
Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA. poehlmann@waisman.wisc.edu
Schwichtenberg
A J Miller
AJ
Shah
Prachi E
PE
Shlafer
Rebecca J
RJ
Hahn
Emily
E
Maleck
Sarah
S
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors