Developmental trajectories of internalizing problems among individuals born very preterm/very low birthweight: early risk and resilience factors.
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| Title: | Developmental trajectories of internalizing problems among individuals born very preterm/very low birthweight: early risk and resilience factors. |
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| Authors: | Zhou, Yanlin (AUTHOR), Bartmann, Peter (AUTHOR), Tsalacopoulos, Nicole (AUTHOR), Wolke, Dieter (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. Oct2025, Vol. 34 Issue 10, p3197-3208. 12p. |
| Subjects: | Very low birth weight, Psychological resilience, Risk assessment, Parents, Temperament, Research funding, Secondary analysis, Data analysis, Premature infants, Neural development, Social factors, Interviewing, Multiple regression analysis, Socioeconomic status, Statistical sampling, Internalizing behavior, Parenting, Sensory disorders, Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Descriptive statistics, Longitudinal method, Odds ratio, Neurological disorders, Research methodology, Gestational age, Parent-infant relationships, Statistics, Birth weight, Confidence intervals, Psychosocial factors, Social classes, Bashfulness, Adolescence, Children, Adults |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany |
| Abstract: | Individuals born very preterm (VPT; < 32 weeks) or with very low birthweight (VLBW; < 1500 g) are at higher risk for internalizing problems compared to those born at term (37–42 weeks) or with normal birthweight (> 2500 g). However, group-level comparisons often overlook individual differences within these populations. Using data from the Bavarian Longitudinal Study, a German population-based birth cohort, this study aims to investigate developmental trajectories of internalizing problems from childhood to adulthood in 368 VPT/VLBW individuals and to identify early-life neonatal, family, neurodevelopmental, and social factors associated with these trajectories. Growth mixture modeling of parent-reported internalizing problems at ages 6, 8, 13, and 26 revealed three distinct trajectories: 61.7% exhibited consistently low levels of internalizing problems, 21.7% showed increasing problems, and 16.6% showed decreasing problems over time. Compared to the consistently low group, the increasing group had lower socioeconomic status at birth, lower gestational age, and more neurosensory impairments; while the decreasing group was characterized by higher family adversity, greater shyness and emotionality, higher birthweight, and fewer parent–infant relationship problems. Multiple births were associated with a higher likelihood of exhibiting consistently low internalizing problems rather than the increasing or decreasing trajectories. Early interventions targeting higher-risk groups—such as those with lower gestational age, neurosensory impairments, socioeconomic disadvantages, family adversity, or challenging temperaments—and promoting resilience factors like positive parenting, have the potential to improve long-term mental health outcomes for VPT/VLBW individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Individuals born very preterm (VPT; < 32 weeks) or with very low birthweight (VLBW; < 1500 g) are at higher risk for internalizing problems compared to those born at term (37–42 weeks) or with normal birthweight (> 2500 g). However, group-level comparisons often overlook individual differences within these populations. Using data from the Bavarian Longitudinal Study, a German population-based birth cohort, this study aims to investigate developmental trajectories of internalizing problems from childhood to adulthood in 368 VPT/VLBW individuals and to identify early-life neonatal, family, neurodevelopmental, and social factors associated with these trajectories. Growth mixture modeling of parent-reported internalizing problems at ages 6, 8, 13, and 26 revealed three distinct trajectories: 61.7% exhibited consistently low levels of internalizing problems, 21.7% showed increasing problems, and 16.6% showed decreasing problems over time. Compared to the consistently low group, the increasing group had lower socioeconomic status at birth, lower gestational age, and more neurosensory impairments; while the decreasing group was characterized by higher family adversity, greater shyness and emotionality, higher birthweight, and fewer parent–infant relationship problems. Multiple births were associated with a higher likelihood of exhibiting consistently low internalizing problems rather than the increasing or decreasing trajectories. Early interventions targeting higher-risk groups—such as those with lower gestational age, neurosensory impairments, socioeconomic disadvantages, family adversity, or challenging temperaments—and promoting resilience factors like positive parenting, have the potential to improve long-term mental health outcomes for VPT/VLBW individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10188827 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00787-025-02736-3 |
