Persisting behavior problems in extremely low birth weight adolescents.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Medicine
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants face increased risks for neurodevelopmental and behavioral challenges.
• Longitudinal studies are essential to understand the trajectory of behavioral problems in ELBW survivors into adolescence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize behavior problems in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) adolescents at age 14 using parent and self-ratings.
• To analyze changes in parent-reported behavior problems from age 8 to 14 in ELBW individuals.
• To compare behavioral outcomes between ELBW adolescents and normal birth weight (NBW) controls.

Main Methods:

• Parent and adolescent self-ratings of behavior were collected for 169 ELBW and 115 NBW participants at age 14.
• Parental behavior ratings from age 8 were also analyzed.
• Symptom severity scores and DSM-IV criteria rates were used to assess behavior outcomes.

Main Results:

• Parent ratings indicated higher symptom severity for inattentive attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and social problems in ELBW adolescents compared to NBW controls.
• ELBW adolescents had significantly higher rates of parent-reported inattentive ADHD meeting DSM-IV criteria (12% vs. 1%).
• Conversely, ELBW adolescents reported fewer behavior problems than controls on self-ratings; parent-reported differences for ADHD diminished over time, especially in females.

Conclusions:

• ELBW adolescents exhibit ongoing behavioral difficulties, particularly in attention, anxiety, and social domains, as reported by parents.
• Discrepancies between parent and self-ratings highlight the importance of multiple perspectives in assessing ELBW youth behavior.
• Early identification and intervention for behavioral issues in ELBW children are supported by these findings.