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Social perception in children born at very low birthweight and its relationship with social/behavioral outcomes
Kathryn E Williamson1, Lorna S Jakobson
1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Insights
Children born very prematurely often face social and behavioral challenges. This study found that very low birthweight (VLBW) children struggle with social perception, linking these deficits to autistic-like traits.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Pediatric psychology
- Social cognition research
Background:
- Children born very prematurely are at higher risk for social and behavioral difficulties.
- These difficulties can resemble those observed in full-term children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate social perceptual skills in very low birthweight (VLBW) children.
- To understand the underlying deficits contributing to social and behavioral challenges in VLBW individuals.
- To explore the relationship between social perception and autistic-like traits.
Main Methods:
- Assessed social perceptual skills in 8- to 11-year-old VLBW children (<1,500 g) and full-term controls.
- Utilized the Child and Adolescent Social Perception Measure for social perception assessment.
- Employed parent-report measures for social and behavioral outcomes, including ASD screening tools.
Main Results:
- VLBW children demonstrated normal verbal IQ but had impaired ability to interpret nonverbal cues from faces, bodies, and social situations.
- Deficits in social perception were correlated with the number of 'autistic-like' traits observed in the VLBW group.
- Performance on social perception tasks was significantly lower in the VLBW group compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Social perceptual deficits are linked to poorer social and behavioral outcomes in very prematurely born children.
- Even VLBW children without major intellectual or language problems are susceptible to clinically concerning social and behavioral issues.
- Early identification and intervention for social perception difficulties may be crucial for VLBW children.
Background:
Research has shown that children born very prematurely are at substantially elevated risk for social and behavioral difficulties similar to those seen in full-term children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Methods:
To gain insight into core deficits that may underlie these difficulties, in this study, we assessed the social perceptual skills of 8- to 11-year-old children born at very low birthweight (VLBW) (<1,500 g) and age-matched, full-term controls, using the Child and Adolescent Social Perception Measure. We also assessed social and behavioral outcomes with two parent-report measures used in ASD screening.
Results:
Children in the preterm group had normal range estimated verbal IQ. However, we found that they were impaired in their ability to use nonverbal cues from moving faces and bodies, and situational cues, to correctly identify the emotions of characters depicted in videotaped social interactions. Their performance on this task was related to the number of 'autistic-like' traits they displayed.
Conclusions:
This research highlights links between social perceptual deficits and poor social and behavioral outcomes in children born very prematurely. The results also suggest that even those who have escaped major intellectual/language problems are at risk for social and behavioral problems that can be of clinical concern.
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