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Impact of Executive Functions and Parental Anxiety on the Development of Social Cognition in Premature Children: A

Julien Eutrope1,2, Alexandre Novo1,3,4, Coralie Barbe5

  • 1CHU Reims, Hôpital Robert Debré, Service de Psychothérapie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Reims, France.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
|September 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

This study compares social cognition in premature versus full-term children, finding executive function deficits in preterm children impact social development. Parental anxiety also influences this development, informing potential therapeutic targets.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Premature children often exhibit executive function disorders, impacting goal-oriented thinking and social cognition.
  • Executive functions are crucial for social cognition, influencing social and emotional behavior.
  • Parental anxiety is a significant environmental factor affecting children's psycho-emotional development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare social cognition development in school-age premature children versus full-term children.
  • To investigate the influence of executive (dys)function on social cognition in these groups.
  • To determine the impact of parental anxiety on the social cognition development of children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 56 school-age children (7-10 years), 28 premature and 28 full-term, matched for age and sex.
  • Neuropsychological evaluation included non-verbal intelligence (Raven's), verbal abilities (WISC-IV), and executive functions (NEPSY II, TEA-CH).
  • Social cognition assessed using theory of mind tests; parental anxiety measured via multiple validated questionnaires (Spielberg, Beck, etc.).

Main Results:

  • Preliminary findings suggest executive function deficits in premature children are associated with differences in social cognition development.
  • Parental anxiety levels correlate with specific aspects of social and emotional development in both groups.
  • The study identifies key areas where premature children may differ in social cognitive skills compared to full-term peers.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding social cognition development in premature children is crucial for identifying therapeutic targets.
  • Executive function and parental anxiety are significant factors influencing social development in school-age children.
  • This research provides a basis for developing targeted interventions to improve social cognition in vulnerable populations.

Keywords:
executive functionparental anxietyparental depressionperinatal post-traumatic stress disorderpremature childrensocial cognitiontheory of mind

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