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Protective factors of mental health in a premature population: a 14-year exploratory study across developmental

Rocío Galán-Megías1, María Dolores Lanzarote-Fernández1, Samuel Arias-Sánchez2

  • 1Department of Personality, Assessment, and Psychological Treatments, Faculty of Psychology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain.

Translational Pediatrics
|February 9, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Social and educational functioning are vital protective factors for the mental health of individuals born prematurely. Strong functioning in these areas, especially during adolescence and adulthood, can mitigate risks associated with prematurity.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Mental Health
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Growing number of premature infants reaching adulthood.
  • Limited research on protective factors for mental health in this population.
  • Focus on risks associated with prematurity, neglecting protective elements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Evaluate the impact of social and educational functioning proxies on mental health.
  • Assess these impacts across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
  • Identify protective factors for mental health in individuals born prematurely.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal developmental study over 14 years.
  • Involved 50 participants born prematurely.
  • Utilized Achenbach's behavioral scales: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL), and Adult Self-Report (ASR).

Main Results:

  • Most participants within normative ranges; 10-20% showed low social functioning in childhood/adolescence.
  • Social functioning proxies significantly linked to internalizing/externalizing symptoms and overall mental health (adolescence/adulthood).
  • Educational functioning proxies identified as a key protective factor in adulthood.

Conclusions:

  • Fostering social and educational functioning is crucial for mitigating prematurity-related mental health risks.
  • Results highlight the importance of lifelong support for social and educational development.
  • Further research with larger, diverse samples is recommended to confirm findings and improve generalizability.
Abstract

Keywords:
Developmental stagesmental healthpreterm birthprotective factorssocialization

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