Predicting to 9-month performance of premature infants

This article identifies variables found to be predictive of sensorimotor and psychosocial performance in infants at 9 months adjusted age. The subjects were 102 infants with a birth weight of less than 1,500 g, who were participants in an early intervention project. Multiple regression analyses disclosed that poor 9-month performance was related to a lack of special Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) intervention, to minority group membership, to birth weight, and to performance on selected tests administered in the NICU. We present implications for the early prediction of handicapping conditions and for further research.