Intellectual and Emotional Development and School Adjustment in Preterm Children at 6 and 7 Years of Age. Continuation of a Follow-Up Study

Abstract

The study is the continuation of a previous five-year follow-up investigation. During the sixth and seventh research year the study was performed on the remaining 282 preterm children and 74 full-term (F.T.) children. The preterm children were assigned to three groups (P1, P2, P3) according to their degree of prematurity. The main conclusions reached in the study were: (1) at ages 6 and 7 the mean IQs and emotional maturity indices were significantly lower in P2 boys and P3 children (boys and girls) than in F.T. children, though ranging in normalcy; (2) in the first form P1 children and P2 girls adjusted to school as well as F.T. children did, while P2 boys and P3 children reached a significantly lower school adjustment (SA) level. SA troubles were frequently increased in preterm children, but significance was found only for writing troubles, social and emotional behavior troubles. Both in preterm and F.T. boys the SA troubles were more frequent than in girls; (3) the multiple regression showed that prematurity was predictive for SA level at the ages of 6 and 7 only when regression was performed on preterm groups, but it failed to be predictive when mixed groups of preterm and F.T. children were analysed. Perinatal and postnatal health state of children and cultural level of their families were also significantly related to SA.