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Published on: August 25, 2014
Perinatal risk factors and social withdrawal behaviour
Antoine Guedeney1, Laetitia Marchand-Martin, Sylvana J Cote
1Parent Infant Clinic, CMP Binet APHP, 124 blvd NEY, 75018 Paris, France. antoine.guedeney@bch.aphp.fr
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|February 22, 2012
Summary
Social withdrawal in 12-month-old infants is linked to preterm birth and low birth weight. Maternal difficulties and parental factors may mediate this behavior, signaling a need for early detection in vulnerable infants.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Perinatal Medicine
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Social withdrawal is a behavior observed in infants.
- Early identification of social withdrawal is crucial for timely intervention.
- The French Perinatal Risk Factor Study (Eden) provides a large cohort for studying infant development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of social withdrawal behavior in 12-month-old infants.
- To investigate the association between social withdrawal and perinatal/parental factors.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study was conducted within the Eden Cohort in 2008.
- The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) scale was used to assess social withdrawal.
- 1,586 infants aged 12 months were included in the analysis.
Main Results:
- Fourteen percent of infants scored 5 or higher on the ADOS scale, indicating social withdrawal.
- Social withdrawal was associated with low birth weight, low gestational age, and intrauterine growth retardation.
- Maternal and paternal risk factors, including maternal difficulties, were independently associated with social withdrawal.
Conclusions:
- Social withdrawal at 12 months is significantly linked to adverse perinatal outcomes like preterm birth and low birth weight.
- Parental vulnerabilities may play a role in the development of infant social withdrawal.
- Social withdrawal serves as an important early warning sign, especially in premature and small-for-date infants.
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