Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
09:24

Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable

Published on: May 17, 2024

Do gestational age and weight for gestational age predict concordance in parental perceptions of infant temperament?

Anu-Katriina Pesonen1, Katri Räikkönen, Timo E Strandberg

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 9, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.

Journal of Pediatric Psychology
|October 14, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) exhibit higher fear and negative reactivity, as perceived by both parents. Gestational age also influences infant attentiveness, highlighting the importance of birth weight and gestational age for early temperament development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Behavioral Pediatrics

Background:

  • Infant temperament is a crucial factor in early development and parent-infant interactions.
  • Understanding predictors of infant temperament can inform early interventions and parental support.
  • Birth weight for gestational age and gestational age are key indicators of fetal development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the predictive roles of infant weight for gestational age and gestational age on infant temperament at six months.
  • To examine parental (mother and father) ratings of infant temperament using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ).

Main Methods:

  • Study included 152 family units with full-term infants and both biological parents.
  • Infant weight and gestational age data were obtained from obstetric databases.
  • Parental perceptions of infant temperament were assessed using the IBQ at six months postpartum.

Main Results:

  • Infants classified as small for gestational age (SGA, <10th percentile) were rated significantly more fearful and negatively reactive by both parents compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.
  • No significant temperament differences were observed between AGA infants and SGA infants defined using the 15th or 20th percentile cutoffs.
  • Higher gestational age (on a weekly continuum) predicted differences in parental ratings of infant attentiveness.

Conclusions:

  • Infant weight for gestational age and gestational age are significant predictors of behavioral outcomes, even in term-born infants.
  • Parental concordance in perceiving temperamental characteristics of SGA infants underscores the clinical relevance of these findings.
  • These results emphasize the importance of monitoring fetal growth and gestational age for understanding infant behavioral development.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Use of a Video Scoring Anchor for Rapid Serial Assessment of Social Communication in Toddlers09:16

Use of a Video Scoring Anchor for Rapid Serial Assessment of Social Communication in Toddlers

Published on: March 14, 2018

Generation of the Early-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation Mouse Model to Assess Prenatal Inflammation on Neurodevelopment08:53

Generation of the Early-Gestational Maternal Immune Activation Mouse Model to Assess Prenatal Inflammation on Neurodevelopment

Published on: March 24, 2026

Related Concept Videos

Regression Toward the Mean01:52

Regression Toward the Mean

Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when researchers try to extrapolate results...
Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs01:23

Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs

Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...