Maternal characteristics associated with language outcomes of children born at less than 32 weeks gestational age

The current study assessed the utility of a proposed model of environmental and biological factors that may predict language outcomes in low to extremely low birth-weight children. Participants for this study were part of a cohort of infants delivered prior to 32 weeks gestation. The mothers of the preterm infants were contacted for this study between 5 and 8 years after the infant's birth. Two hundred two mother/child pairs were enrolled. Caregivers were asked to complete a battery of measures that assessed their language ability, depressive symptoms, and parent-child relationship factors that could impact child development. Each child was also given a battery of tests measuring intelligence, language, and neuropsychological outcomes.;Using structural equation modeling techniques, relationships of maternal characteristics, (e.g., maternal language ability, maternal depression, and parental self-efficacy) and children's characteristics (e.g., birth-weight, expressive and receptive language, and intelligence) were analyzed. The model revealed that birth-weight has a direct affect on child's IQ. Parental self-efficacy influences maternal depression. Maternal language exerts a direct influence on child's IQ. Maternal depression affects the mother's language ability in the direction that was predicted. Child's IQ and parental self-efficacy contribute directly to the child's language outcomes. Finally, a child's receptive language ability directly affects his/her expressive language skills. The implications of this study are discussed, as well as the need for further efforts at identifying environmental factors that may improve outcomes for preterm infants.