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Effects of preterm birth and gender on temperament and behavior in children

Luciana Cosentino-Rocha1, Vivian Caroline Klein1, Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares1

  • 1Department of Neurosciences and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Infant Behavior & Development
|May 6, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Premature birth impacts child temperament, leading to higher intensity pleasure and sensitivity. Gender also influences temperament, with girls showing more fear and discomfort than boys.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neonatal Research

Background:

  • Premature birth is a significant factor influencing child development.
  • Understanding the interplay between prematurity, gender, and early childhood temperament is crucial for targeted interventions.
  • Temperament and behavioral problems in early childhood can predict later developmental trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the direct effects of premature birth on temperament and behavioral problems in toddlers.
  • To examine the direct effects of gender on temperament and behavioral problems in toddlers.
  • To assess the interactive effects of premature birth and gender on these developmental aspects.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 80 children aged 18-36 months, including 44 born preterm (PT) and 36 born full-term (FT).
  • Mothers completed the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire (ECBQ) for temperament and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5-5) for behavioral problems.
  • Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA 2x2) was employed to analyze the data.

Main Results:

  • Preterm children exhibited higher scores in high-intensity pleasure and perceptual sensitivity, and lower scores in discomfort, cuddliness, and attentional focusing compared to full-term children.
  • Girls showed higher scores in fear and discomfort compared to boys.
  • No significant interactive effect was found between premature birth and gender on temperament or behavioral problems.

Conclusions:

  • Premature birth is associated with distinct temperament characteristics in early childhood.
  • Gender plays a role in shaping specific aspects of temperament, independent of birth status.
  • While both prematurity and gender independently affect temperament, their interaction does not appear to significantly alter these outcomes in toddlers.

Keywords:
Behavioral problemsGenderPreterm birthTemperament

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