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Are early grammatical and phonological working memory abilities affected by preterm birth?
Alessandra Sansavini1, Annalisa Guarini, Rosina Alessandroni
1Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy. alessandra.sansavini@unibo.it
Journal of Communication Disorders
|July 25, 2006
Summary
Very immature preterm birth impacts grammar, cognition, and phonological working memory in preschoolers. These abilities show strong links, with maternal education offering some compensation.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Limited research exists on the linguistic and phonological working memory outcomes for extremely preterm infants.
- Preterm birth can affect cognitive and language development, but specific impacts on grammar and phonological working memory require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effects of very immature preterm birth on grammatical abilities and phonological working memory in 3.5-year-old children.
- To explore the relationship between phonological working memory and grammatical development in both preterm and full-term children.
- To assess the influence of cognitive development, biological, and social factors, including maternal education, on preterm children's language skills.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted, with Study 1 focusing on early grammatical abilities in healthy, very immature preterms and Study 2 investigating the role of phonological working memory in their grammatical development.
- Participants included very immature preterm children and full-term controls, assessed for linguistic, cognitive, and phonological working memory abilities.
- Statistical analyses considered cognitive development, biological factors, and social factors like maternal education level.
Main Results:
- Very immature preterm birth was associated with lasting, though not severe, difficulties in grammar, cognition, and phonological working memory up to 3.5 years compared to full-term peers.
- A significant positive correlation was observed between phonological working memory and grammatical abilities in both preterm and full-term children, indicating a reciprocal relationship.
- Higher maternal education levels partially compensated for grammatical and cognitive deficits in preterm children.
Conclusions:
- Preterm birth, particularly when very immature, affects key developmental areas including language and memory, highlighting the need for early monitoring and support.
- Phonological working memory plays a crucial role in grammatical development, underscoring the interconnectedness of these cognitive and linguistic skills.
- Maternal education is a significant factor that can mitigate some of the adverse effects of preterm birth on a child's development.
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