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Coping behavior: differences in barrier performance in full-term and premature infants
Insights
Premature infants showed different coping behaviors than full-term infants at 18 months old, resting more and smiling more. However, premature infants were less likely to complete the challenging task.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Child Development
Background:
- Premature infants often exhibit developmental differences compared to full-term infants.
- Assessing coping mechanisms in early childhood is crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the coping abilities of premature and full-term infants at 12 and 18 months.
- To investigate behavioral responses in a challenging situation.
Main Methods:
- An experimental barrier task involving removing obstacles to reach a goal was used.
- Participants included 12- and 18-month-old premature and full-term children.
- Coping behaviors such as resting and smiling were observed.
Main Results:
- At 12 months, the task was too difficult for all infants, showing no term differences.
- At 18 months, premature infants rested more and smiled more than full-term infants.
- Only 4 out of 17 children who completed the task were premature.
Conclusions:
- Coping abilities and behavioral responses differ between premature and full-term infants by 18 months.
- Premature infants may exhibit distinct behavioral patterns in challenging situations.
- Task difficulty significantly impacts the assessment of coping abilities in young children.
Abstract:
Coping ability was assessed in 12- and 18-month-old premature and full-term children, using an experimental barrier situation consisting of a double fence of boards and boxes which the child had to remove to reach the center. No term differences were found for the 12-month-old children: the task was too difficult for them. The term differences found at 18 months indicated that the prematures rested more and tended to smile more than did full-terms. The most dramatic finding was that only 4 of the 17 children who completed the task were premature. None of the findings for the 18-month-old children were related to intelligence.