title: The attachment of prematurely born children at school age: A pilot study.
abstract: This prospective longitudinal study compared the psychological development and patterns of attachment of 20 prematurely born children and 20 full-term children at 7 years of age. The School-age Assessment of Attachment (SAA) was used, and hypotheses and interpretation of the findings were drawn from the Dynamic-Maturational Model of Attachment and Adaptation (DMM). Significant differences between prematurely born and full-term children were found: 10% versus 0% at "high" risk, 55% versus 25% at "moderate" risk, and 35% versus 75% at "low" risk. There were no differences in the percentage of psychological trauma between samples, but there was a difference in the types of experiences leading to trauma. For prematurely born children, it was most often illness, whereas for full-term children, it was family problems. We discuss the implications for clinicians.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Obstetric, Gynecology and Pediatric Department, Hospital Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Italy francesca.nuccini@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nuccini
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Pediatric Department, Hospital Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paterlini
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Obstetric, Gynecology and Pediatric Department, Hospital Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gargano
authors.affiliation: Independent Practice, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Landini
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D010865:Pilot Projects; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000067073:Psychological Trauma; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D047929:Term Birth / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Attachment; perinatal problem; prematurely born children; psychological risk; school age