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Updated: Aug 21, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
The temperament of pre-term, low birth weight infants and its potential biological substrates
Sandra J Weiss1, Mary St Jonn-Seed, Peggy Wilson
1Community Health Systems, Eschbach Endowed Chair in Mental Health Nursing, UCSF School of Nursing, Box 0608-2 Koret Way, San Francisco, CA 94143-0608, USA.
Insights
Most preterm, low birth weight infants exhibit difficult temperaments, particularly with irregular rhythms and slow adaptation. Perinatal factors and gender did not influence temperament, but ethnicity played a role.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm and low birth weight (LBW) infants often present unique developmental challenges.
- Temperament is a crucial aspect of infant development, influencing social interactions and adaptation.
- Understanding temperament in vulnerable infant populations is vital for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess temperament profiles of preterm, LBW infants at 6 months.
- To examine the influence of perinatal risk, ethnicity, and gender on infant temperament.
- To identify specific temperament dimensions that are challenging for these infants.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ) with standardized norms.
- Assessed 152 infants with mean birth weight of 1687g and gestational age of 31 weeks.
- Analyzed associations between temperament and perinatal factors, ethnicity, and gender.
Main Results:
- Eighty percent of infants displayed difficult-to-manage temperaments.
- Problematic dimensions included irregular biorhythms, slow adaptation, and distractibility.
- Perinatal morbidity correlated with infant persistence; Euro American infants showed higher persistence and lower emotional intensity.
Conclusions:
- Preterm, LBW infants frequently exhibit challenging temperaments requiring targeted support.
- Temperament measurement needs to be socioculturally sensitive.
- Further research should explore neurobiological underpinnings of temperament phenotypes in these infants.
Abstract:
Temperament profiles of pre-term, low birth weight (LBW) infants were assessed at 6 months of age using standardized norms from the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ). The contributions of perinatal risk, ethnicity, and gender to various temperament dimensions were examined. The sample included 152 infants with a mean birth weight of 1687 g and a mean gestational age of 31 weeks. Eighty percent of the infants were classified as having temperaments that were difficult to manage. Irregularity of the infants' biorhythms, slowness in their ability to adapt to changes, and distractibility were the most problematic. Birth weight, gestational age, and gender were not associated with temperament. Perinatal morbidity was related to the temperament dimension of infant persistence, with implications for the infant's attention span and task performance. Euro American infants were rated as more persistent and less intense in emotional expression than were infants of other ethnic groups. Results suggest the need for a more direct assessment of the effects of neurobiological processes on development of temperament phenotypes and for measurement of temperament that is socioculturally appropriate.
