Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges
08:22

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges

Published on: February 25, 2016

Parental stress and toddler behaviour at age 18 months after pre-term birth

Karin Jackson1, Britt-Marie Ternestedt, Anders Magnuson

  • 1Department of Health Science, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden. karin.jackson@hi.oru.se

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|April 13, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Parental stress and child behavior assessments were similar between mothers and fathers at 18 months post-preterm birth. Parents of very preterm infants reported higher stress and perceived behavioral differences in their children.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neonatal Care
  • Parenting Studies

Background:

  • Preterm birth presents unique challenges for infant development and parental well-being.
  • Understanding parental perceptions of stress and child behavior is crucial for early intervention.
  • The impact of prematurity, gestational age, and multiple births on parent-child dynamics requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess parental stress and child behavior at 18 months post-preterm birth.
  • To explore correlations between parental assessments, neonatal morbidity, gestational age, and multiple births.
  • To compare perceptions between mothers and fathers of preterm infants.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 21 mothers and 19 fathers of preterm infants participated.
  • Participants completed the Swedish Parenthood Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ) and the Toddler Behaviour Questionnaire (TBQ).
  • Data analysis explored relationships between parental stress, child behavior, and birth characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Mothers reported slightly higher parental stress than fathers.
  • Parents of infants born between 25-30 weeks gestational age and those with twins/triplets reported increased stress, though not statistically significant.
  • Parents of infants born between 25-30 weeks gestational age rated their children's intensity/activity significantly higher (p = 0.002); significant correlation found between parental stress and child behavior regularity (p = 0.016).

Conclusions:

  • Mothers' and fathers' assessments of their stress and children's behavior were largely consistent.
  • Parents of very preterm infants experienced greater stress and perceived some social behavior delays in their children, potentially linked to lower gestational age.
  • Findings highlight the need for targeted support for parents of very preterm infants.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

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

Published on: August 25, 2014

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

Related Concept Videos

Socioemotional Development during Infancy01:30

Socioemotional Development during Infancy

Socio-emotional development in infancy is primarily shaped by early emotional responses and social connections, with temperament playing a central role. Temperament refers to the consistent patterns in an individual's emotional and behavioral responses, observable even in infancy. By examining temperament, researchers can better understand an infant's unique ways of interacting with the world, influencing subsequent personality and socio-emotional growth.
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Attachment01:20

Attachment

Attachment is vital for infant development, as warm social interactions support growth and well-being. In a classic 1958 study by Harry Harlow, the significance of warmth and comfort in forming attachments was examined. Harlow separated newborn monkeys from their mothers and provided two artificial "mothers": one made of cold wire and the other covered in soft cloth. Despite the wire mother offering food, the infant monkeys preferred the comfort of the cloth mother, demonstrating that physical...
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Anal01:26

Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Anal

Sigmund Freud's theory of psychosexual development describes the anal stage as occurring between 18 months and three years of age. During this period, children derive pleasure from controlling and releasing their bowel movements. However, they quickly learn that societal expectations impose restrictions on when and where this can happen. This stage marks a critical point where children begin to develop a sense of control and mastery over their bodily functions, as well as their broader...
Relationship with Parents: Attachment01:28

Relationship with Parents: Attachment

Parent-child interactions lay the foundation for how we understand relationships throughout life. These interactions are not uniform across families; instead, they are shaped by a range of environmental, emotional, and behavioral factors unique to each caregiver-child dynamic. Social psychologists study these early relationships to understand how patterns formed in infancy influence social functioning and interpersonal behavior in adulthood.Attachment Theory and Early Relational ModelsJohn...
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood03:34

Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood

Attachment is a long-standing connection or bond with others. While Attachment Theory was conceived in developmental psychology to describe infant-caregiver bonding, it's been extended into adulthood to include romantic relationships.