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Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Caretaker perception of child vulnerability predicts behavior problems in NICU graduates

Anna C De Ocampo1, Michelle M Macias, Conway F Saylor

  • 1Greenville Hospital System, Greenville, SC 9601, USA.

Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|November 18, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Parents perceiving their NICU graduates as vulnerable report significant child behavioral difficulties. This perception, not neonatal issues, predicts behavior, highlighting the impact of parental views on child development.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care and child development
  • Parental psychology and child behavior

Background:

  • Parental perception of child vulnerability (PPCV) and parent overprotection (POP) are significant factors in child development.
  • Understanding the link between parental perceptions and child outcomes is crucial for NICU graduates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the relationship between PPCV, POP, and neonatal medical problems, child development, and behavior in NICU graduates.
  • To identify predictors of child behavior among NICU graduates based on parental perceptions and medical history.

Main Methods:

  • 90 lower-income parents of NICU graduates (ages 22-81 months) were enrolled in a high-risk neonatal follow-up clinic.
  • Parents completed the Child Vulnerability Scale (CVS), Parent Protection Scale (PPS), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
  • Step-wise regression analysis was used to determine the predictive relationship between variables.

Main Results:

  • The Child Vulnerability Scale (CVS) was the sole predictor of child behavior, explaining 13% of the variance in the CBCL Total T-score.
  • Neonatal medical problems and most parental demographics did not correlate with CVS or PPS scores.
  • A significant correlation was found between CVS and the separation subscale of the PPS (r =.31, p <.01).

Conclusions:

  • NICU graduates perceived as vulnerable by caretakers exhibit significant behavioral difficulties.
  • Parental perception of vulnerability, rather than neonatal medical history, is a key factor influencing child behavior.
  • Further research is recommended to investigate the antecedents and persistence of PPCV and its long-term effects on behavioral outcomes.

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