title: The effect of extremely preterm birth on attachment organization in late adolescence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prior studies have examined the impact of preterm birth on the quality of the attachment relationship to the mother in infancy, but few have examined extremely preterm born infants and almost no data have been reported on prematurity and its impact on the attachment organization attained after childhood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine adolescents born extremely preterm and 39 full-term born control participants were assessed with the Adult Attachment Interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prematurely born showed lower scores regarding measures of attachment security and, in particular, a higher proportion of insecure dismissive patterns. This difference seemed to be clear and persistent even when controlled for intelligence and socio-economic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because insecure attachment as well as prematurity may be considered as significant risk factors for developing psychopathology, they deserve careful attention in future research and clinical follow-ups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. anne-li.hallin@psychology.se
authors.forename: A-L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hallin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Frostell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stjernqvist
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000523:psychology*; D011599:Psychopathology; D019962:Reactive Attachment Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors