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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

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

Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale as a predictor of cognitive development and IQ in full-term infants: a 6-year

Josefa Canals1, Carmen Hernández-Martínez, Griselda Esparó

  • 1Research Center for Behavioral Assessment (CRAMC), Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain. josefa.canals@urv.cat

Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
|April 7, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal self-regulation behaviors strongly predict infant development and intelligence up to age six. The Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS) can identify these crucial early developmental indicators in healthy newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neonatal Behavioral Science
  • Pediatric Neurodevelopment

Background:

  • Early childhood development is influenced by various factors.
  • Neonatal behavior assessment offers a window into potential developmental trajectories.
  • Predictive markers in infancy can inform early intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the predictive power of neonatal behaviors on infant development.
  • To examine the relationship between newborn behavior and cognitive abilities at 6 years.
  • To validate the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS) for predicting long-term outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 80 full-term newborns from 3 days to 6 years.
  • Neonatal behavior assessed using the Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS).
  • Infant development evaluated with Bayley Scales (4, 12 months) and child intelligence with Wechsler Scales (6 years).

Main Results:

  • Neonatal irritability predicted mental development at 12 months.
  • Self-regulation behaviors predicted psychomotor development (4, 12 months) and intelligence quotient (6 years).
  • Neonatal orientation predicted visomotor and attention skills.

Conclusions:

  • Neonatal self-regulation behaviors are robust predictors of infant development and intelligence.
  • The NBAS is a valuable tool for identifying developmental potential in healthy infants.
  • Early behavioral observations can guide understanding of long-term child development.
Abstract

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