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Temperament, Behavior Problems, and Learning Skills in Very Low Birth Weight Preschoolers
Author(s) -
Schraeder Barbara D.,
Heverly Mary Ann,
Rappaport Judith
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/nur.4770130106
Subject(s) - temperament , low birth weight , developmental psychology , psychology , birth weight , clinical psychology , personality , pregnancy , social psychology , biology , genetics
The relationship between temperament, behavior problems, and learning skill abilities in preschool children who were born with very low birth weight (VLBW) is described. Subjects were 37 4‐year‐olds who weighed less than 1,500 grams at birth, were appropriate for gestational age, and free from congenital anomalies ( M birth weight=1,201 grams). Data were gathered when the children were 48 months chronological age and analyzed using point biserial and Pearson product moment correlation, chi square, and MANOVA. Temperament characteristics of rhythmicity, intensity, and persistence were related to behavior problems and learning skill abilities. Mothers reported more children with behavior problems than expected in the general population. Children with four or more behavior problems had significantly lower skill achievement scores than children with fewer behavior problems.