Triple Risk: Do Difficult Temperament and Family Conflict Increase the Likelihood of Behavioral Maladjustment in Children Born Low Birth Weight and Preterm?

Objective This study examined the impact of family conflict on internalizing and externalizing behavior at age 8 for children born low birth weight (LBW) and preterm (PT), with specific attention to the moderating role of early temperament. Methods The sample included 728 families enrolled in the lo...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of pediatric psychology 2009-05, Vol.34 (4), p.396-405
Main Authors: Whiteside-Mansell, Leanne, Bradley, Robert H., Casey, Patrick H., Fussell, Jill J., Conners-Burrow, Nicola A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adjustment Disorders - etiology
Adjustment Disorders - psychology
Arkansas
behavior problems
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child Behavior - psychology
Child Behavior Disorders - etiology
Child Behavior Disorders - psychology
Child clinical studies
Child, Preschool
Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy
family conflict
Family Conflict - psychology
Female
Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics
Humans
Infant
Infant, Low Birth Weight - growth & development
Infant, Low Birth Weight - psychology
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature - growth & development
Infant, Premature - psychology
Internal-External Control
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Medical sciences
Personality Development
Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Temperament
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objective This study examined the impact of family conflict on internalizing and externalizing behavior at age 8 for children born low birth weight (LBW) and preterm (PT), with specific attention to the moderating role of early temperament. Methods The sample included 728 families enrolled in the longitudinal study of the Infant Health and Development Program. The study relied on maternal reports of child temperament at age 1, family conflict at age 6½ years and 8 years, and child behavior at age 8 years. Results Children exposed to high levels of family conflict had more internalizing problems. Child temperament assessed in infancy moderated the impact of family conflict on externalizing but not internalizing problem behavior. Discussion LBW/PT children with a difficult temperament are more at risk for poor developmental outcomes, such as externalizing behavior problems, when exposed to family conflict than children with a less difficult temperament.
ISSN:0146-8693
1465-735X
DOI:10.1093/jpepsy/jsn089