Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2025

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

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Relationships Between NICU Infant Stressors and Childhood Behavior and Development

Amy L D'Agata1, Jennifer S Miller, Ji Youn Yoo

  • 1Author Affiliations: College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island (Dr D'Agata); and College of Nursing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee (Drs Miller, Yoo, and Groer, and Ms Springer).

Advances in Neonatal Care : Official Journal of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses
|March 14, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stress in preterm infants is linked to later behavioral and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Reducing NICU stress and providing developmental support are crucial for improving long-term health.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal intensive care
  • Developmental psychology
  • Pediatric neurology

Background:

  • Preterm infants experience significant stress in the NICU.
  • NICU stressors may impact critical brain development.
  • This exposure can lead to long-term neurodevelopmental effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between NICU stressor exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes at four years of age in preterm infants.
  • To analyze relationships between stressor scores and childhood behavior and development.

Main Methods:

  • The Neonatal Infant Stress Scale (NISS) measured daily stress events in 83 preterm infants during the first six weeks.
  • Twenty-five children were assessed at four years using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Battelle Developmental Index-Screening Test (BDI-2 ST).

Main Results:

  • Cumulative NISS scores correlated with CBCL and BDI-2 ST in unadjusted models.
  • Gestational age and time to enteral feeding were associated with CBCL scores.
  • Score for Neonatal Physiology with Perinatal Extension (SNAPPE-II) was associated with BDI-2 ST scales.
  • Hierarchical regressions indicated relationships between NISS and both scales, influenced by GA, SNAPPE-II, and feeding duration.

Conclusions:

  • The quantity and type of neonatal stress may influence neurodevelopmental outcomes at four years.
  • Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
  • Clinical practice should focus on minimizing NICU stress and offering developmental support to these children.
Abstract

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