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Neel ML, Conroy S, Srinivas R, Taylor HG, Stark AR, de Silva A, Busch T, Maitre NL. Bayley trajectories predict school readiness better than single assessments in formerly very preterm preschoolers. Pediatr Res 2023; 94:1392-1399. [PMID: 37217606 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-023-02656-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Development of children born very preterm (VPT) is evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Early Bayley scores may not predict later outcomes. We studied whether VPT Bayley trajectories in the early years predicted school readiness better than single assessments. METHODS We prospectively evaluated 53 VPT at 4-5 years using standardized measures of school readiness, including the domains of cognition, early mathematical and literacy abilities, and motor skills. Predictors were Bayley-III scores obtained 1-5 times/child between 6 and 35 months. Linear mixed models (LMM) with random effects extracted estimated random effect for slope (change in Bayley score/1 year) and fixed+random effect sum for the intercept (initial Bayley score) for each participant, to then evaluate 4-5-year outcomes prediction. RESULTS Variability of individual trajectories prevailed across developmental domains. For the initial LMM, adding Bayley change to models with only initial score improved model fits for several Bayley-III domains. Models containing estimates for initial Bayley scores and Bayley change explained significantly more variability in school readiness scores (21-63%) than either variable alone. CONCLUSION Neurodevelopmental follow-up of VPT is more relevant to school readiness when children are assessed multiple times in the first 3 years. Neonatal intervention research could use early trajectories rather than single timepoints as outcomes. IMPACT This study is the first to examine individual Bayley scores and trajectories to predict school readiness of formerly preterm children at 4-5 years. Modeling demonstrated extreme variability of individual trajectories compared to the group's average trajectories. Models containing initial Bayley scores and Bayley change over time explained more variability in preschool readiness than either variable alone. Using the Bayley to predict future school readiness is enhanced by administration across multiple follow-up visits and inclusion of change across the first 3 years. Follow-up care models and clinical trial design for neonatal interventions may benefit from a trajectory-based approach to outcomes evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Lauren Neel
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Sara Conroy
- Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
- Biostatistics Resource at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rachelle Srinivas
- Center for Perinatal Research, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Hudson Gerry Taylor
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ann R Stark
- Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aryanne de Silva
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tyler Busch
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Center for Biobehavioral Health, Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Nathalie L Maitre
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Vrantsidis DM, Benkart RA, Neel ML, de Silva A, Maitre NL, Taylor HG. Associations of Parental Distress and Behavior with School Readiness in Children Born Very Preterm. J Pediatr Psychol 2023; 48:283-292. [PMID: 36708007 DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsac090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Children born very preterm (VPT; gestational age [GA] <31 weeks) have robust school readiness difficulties relative to children born full-term (FT; GA ≥37 weeks). This study examined whether four aspects of parental well-being and behavior-distress, harshness, responsiveness and positive control, and cognitive stimulation-were linked to school readiness in a sample of children born VPT <31 weeks GA and whether these characteristics similarly impact VPT and FT children. METHODS Parents of 4-year-olds born VPT (n = 55) and FT (n = 38) reported on parental distress, behavior, and cognitive stimulation. Children's cognition, executive function, motor skills, preacademic abilities, and behavior were assessed via neuropsychological tests and parent-report questionnaires. RESULTS For both groups of children, higher psychological distress and harshness were associated with more behavior problems, and more cognitive stimulation was associated with higher scores on tests of cognitive, motor, and preacademic abilities. More parental distress was associated with lower cognitive ability only for children born VPT and more harshness was associated with lower preacademic skills only for children born FT. CONCLUSIONS Identifying modifiable family factors associated with school readiness in children born VPT is essential for informing family-based interventions to improve school readiness in this population. Findings suggest that distress, harshness, and cognitive stimulation may be reasonable targets for interventions to improve school readiness in children born VPT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebekah A Benkart
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, USA
| | - Mary Lauren Neel
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, USA
| | - Aryanne de Silva
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, USA
| | | | - H Gerry Taylor
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, USA
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Neel ML. Parenting Style Interventions in Parents of Preterm and High-Risk Infants: Controversies, Cost, and Future Directions. Clin Perinatol 2023; 50:179-213. [PMID: 36868705 DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
This review highlights the current state of evidence on interventions whose primary purpose is to change parenting style in parents of preterm, and other-high risk, infants. To date, interventions for parents of preterm infants are heterogeneous with variability in intervention timing, measured outcomes, program components, and cost. Most interventions target parental responsivity/sensitivity. Most reported outcomes are short-term, measured at age less than 2 years. The few studies that report later child outcomes in prekindergarten/school-aged children are encouraging, overall indicating improved cognition and behavior in the children of parents who received a parenting style intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Lauren Neel
- Division of Neonatology, Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, 1405 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
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Kelly MM, Arcoleo K, D’Agata AL, Sullivan MC. A test of differential susceptibility in behavior trajectories of preterm infants from preschool to adulthood. Res Nurs Health 2023; 46:80-92. [PMID: 36316209 PMCID: PMC9839493 DOI: 10.1002/nur.22275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth predisposes children to internalizing and externalizing behaviors that may persist into adolescence resulting in adult mental health conditions. Social and caregiving contexts, particularly for vulnerable infants born preterm, influence long-term outcomes, but mechanisms are not clearly understood. Healthcare teams caring for those born preterm face difficulty predicting who will be most affected by risk, who will most benefit, and the optimal timing of intervention. Differential susceptibility theory offers an alternative to the traditional risk-only assessments and theories by positing that individuals may be more, or less, susceptible to environmental influences. A sample of preterm- and term-born infants were followed from birth to 23 years of age. Mixed model repeated measures analyses of internalizing and externalizing behaviors were utilized for the comparison groups (N = 214; observations = 1070). Environmental contexts were indexed as proximal protection (low, moderate, high) and medical risk (low, moderate, high). Personal characteristic covariates of sex, race, socioeconomic status, and cognition were modeled. Internalizing behavior trajectories varied significantly over time. Early proximal protective environments conferred a sustained positive influence on behaviors. There is partial support for differential susceptibility theory suggesting that prematurity, as a malleability characteristic enables absorption of both the positive and negative influences of the environment, with greater intensity that those without malleability. The current analyses suggest lasting effects of the preschool age proximal environment on internalizing and externalizing behaviors in young adulthood for those born preterm. Understanding these nuances may aid healthcare professionals in the promotion and timing of interventions to support the child and family. The current manuscript reflects ongoing analyses of longitudinal data. No patient or public contribution to the analyses were required for testing the differential susceptibility theory. The authors would solicit patient or public contribution when implementing practice or policy changes based on the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M. Kelly
- M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
- College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Kimberly Arcoleo
- College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Amy L. D’Agata
- College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Mary C. Sullivan
- College of Nursing, University of Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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Neel ML, Malmud EK, Maitre NL. Preschool Readiness of Preterm-Born Children-The Hidden Impact of Familial Resilience. JAMA Pediatr 2022; 176:969-971. [PMID: 35939294 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.2765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary Lauren Neel
- Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Elsa K Malmud
- Department of Child and Adolescent Medicine and Behavioral Sciences, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Nathalie L Maitre
- Emory University School of Medicine, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia
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Taylor HG, Vrantsidis DM, Neel ML, Benkart R, Busch TA, de Silva A, Udaipuria S, Maitre NL. School Readiness in 4-Year-Old Very Preterm Children. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9030323. [PMID: 35327695 PMCID: PMC8947581 DOI: 10.3390/children9030323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The aims of this study were to identify the aspects of school readiness that best distinguish very preterm (VPT) preschoolers from full-term (FT) controls, determine the extent to which readiness problems in the VPT group reflected global cognitive weaknesses or more specific deficits, and identify distinct profiles of readiness problems. Fifty-three VPT (gestational age ≤ 30 weeks) 4-year-olds were compared to 38 FT (gestational age ≥ 37 weeks) controls on measures of global cognitive ability, executive function, motor skills, early literacy and numeracy, and psychosocial functioning. Latent class analysis (LCA) was also conducted to identify individual readiness profiles. The VPT group had the most pronounced difficulties on tests of spatial and nonverbal cognitive abilities, executive function, motor skills, phonological processing, and numeracy. The VPT group also had sex-related difficulties in processing speed, social functioning, and emotion regulation. These differences were evident in analyses of both continuous scores and rates of deficits. The VPT group’s difficulties in motor skills, and VPT females’ difficulties in social functioning and emotion regulation, were evident even when controlling for global cognitive ability. LCA suggested four profiles of readiness, with the majority of the VPT group assigned to profiles characterized by relative weaknesses in either cognitive abilities or psychosocial functioning or by more global readiness problems. The findings support the need to evaluate multiple aspects of school readiness in VPT preschoolers and inform efforts to design more targeted early educational interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Gerry Taylor
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA; (D.M.V.); (M.L.N.); (R.B.); (T.A.B.); (A.d.S.)
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-614-722-3184
| | - Daphne M. Vrantsidis
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA; (D.M.V.); (M.L.N.); (R.B.); (T.A.B.); (A.d.S.)
| | - Mary Lauren Neel
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA; (D.M.V.); (M.L.N.); (R.B.); (T.A.B.); (A.d.S.)
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Rebekah Benkart
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA; (D.M.V.); (M.L.N.); (R.B.); (T.A.B.); (A.d.S.)
| | - Tyler A. Busch
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA; (D.M.V.); (M.L.N.); (R.B.); (T.A.B.); (A.d.S.)
| | - Aryanne de Silva
- Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43215, USA; (D.M.V.); (M.L.N.); (R.B.); (T.A.B.); (A.d.S.)
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Shivika Udaipuria
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA;
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