Correlation Between Level of Self-Regulation in the Newborn Infant and Developmental Status at Two Years of Age
Lundqvist-Persson C,. (2001). Correlation between level of self-regulation in the newborn infant and developmental status at two years of age. Acta Pædiatr 2001; 90: 345–350. Stockholm. ISSN 0803-5253.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the level of self-regulation in the newborn baby (a) predicts later cognitive and social development, (b) correlates to duration of breastfeeding and (c) has an impact on sleeping rhythm and the infant’s autonomic behaviour. The study involved 38 full-term infants of optimal health who were assessed at an age of 3d using a screening instrument measuring neonatal self-regulation, low, ordinary and high. The instrument, a conditional global scale, developed on the basis of the items in the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, identies three levels of self-regulation. Thirty-six of the infants participated in a follow-up study at 2 y of age, when they were tested with Grifths’ Mental Developmental Scales and one of the parents was interviewed about length of breastfeeding, sleeping habits and the infant’s autonomic behaviour. The results showed that the level of self-regulation was correlated to 3 out of 5 variables (Personal-Social development, Hearing & Speech and Eye & Hand Coordination) in the Grifths test. The results also indicated differences in sleeping rhythm as well as in breastfeeding patterns between the three groups. Furthermore, the study indicated gender-based differences in the level of neonatal self-regulation and conrmed previous ndings of gender-based differences in achieved developmental level at 2 y of age assessed with Griffths’ Mental Developmental Scales.