ArticleChild and adolescent psychiatry and mental health2026
Subclinical but significant: A multi-informant comparative study on early socio-emotional difficulties in preterm preschoolers.
Article in Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Regulation of Stress Physiology Across Social Contexts in Preterm-Born Preschoolers.Psychophysiology · 2026Article
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6 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundChildren born preterm face increased risks of neurodevelopmental difficulties, comprised within the "preterm behavioral phenotype". This study examined behavioral and socio-emotional development in preterm preschoolers using a multi-informant approach to characterize behavioral profiles, mental health outcomes, and their associations with gestational age, birth weight, and early medical experiences.
methods102 five-year-old children (70 preterm, 32 full-term) were assessed using standardized measures, including parent and teacher questionnaires (Child Behavior Checklist, Teacher Report Form, Social Responsiveness Scale, ADHD Questionnaire) and direct clinical observation (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2). Analyses examined group differences and associations with gestational age, birth weight and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parameters, including early procedural pain, respiratory support and kangaroo care.
resultsPreterm children demonstrated a predominantly subclinical phenotype, characterized by elevated difficulties across domains. Marked informant discrepancies emerged: parents reported more internalizing symptoms, attention deficits, social-communication difficulties, and autism-related traits in the preterm group, whereas teacher ratings showed stronger associations with gestational age, birth weight, and early medical procedures. Early NICU experiences were linked to later outcomes: greater exposure to skin-breaking procedures predicted higher reported behavioral problems, whereas more kangaroo care was associated with fewer reported social difficulties.
conclusionsPreterm preschoolers display subtle yet meaningful socio-emotional vulnerabilities that manifest below clinical thresholds, but still warrant continued surveillance. Divergence between parent and teacher perspectives underscores the importance of multi-informant assessment across contexts. Associations between early procedural pain and later socio-emotional outcomes identify a modifiable risk factor, emphasizing the importance of optimized neonatal pain management and minimizing medical intensity.
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