Does preterm birth affect child temperament? A meta-analytic study

Publication date: February 2020Source: Infant Behavior and Development, Volume 58Author(s): Rafaela G.M. Cassiano, Livio Provenzi, Maria Beatriz Martins Linhares, Claudia M. Gaspardo, Rosario MontirossoAbstractThe present meta-analytic study was conducted to examine differences in temperament between preterm and full-term children, considering behavior style and psychobiological approaches. Moreover, we explored the potential moderators of the associations between prematurity and temperament. A systematic literature search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Twenty-two studies were analyzed. Preterm children showed a higher Activity level as well as lower Attentional Focusing and Attention Span/Persistence, in comparison with their full-term counterparts. Extremely preterm children showed a higher Activity level than other preterm levels. These findings support the conclusion that preterm children present with a less regulated temperament relative to those born full term.
Source: Infant Behavior and Development - Category: Child Development Source Type: research