Work

Early risk factors related to social functioning in young adults born very preterm

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Individuals born very preterm (VPT; <32 weeks' gestation) are at a greater risk of poorer social outcomes than individuals born at term. However, it remains unclear which subgroups of individuals born VPT are at greater risk of lower social functioning later in life. This study aimed to describe the medical, behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and environmental risks in childhood for lower social functioning in early adulthood among young adults born VPT. METHODS: Participants were assessed on social functioning domains at age 20 years (N = 123) and risk factors were assessed at birth (N = 224), 2 (N = 219) and 7 (N = 197) years of age in the Victorian Infant Brain Study longitudinal cohort. Differences in mean scores of social functioning outcomes and proportions with lower social functioning at 20 years between risk groups were estimated using generalized linear models. Multiple imputation was used to address missing data. RESULTS: In childhood, greater behavioral and emotional problems, lower cognition, and higher sociodemographic risk were strongly associated with lower social functioning in all domains at age 20. Medical risk was weakly associated with social interaction and social adjustment at age 20. CONCLUSIONS: Children born VPT with higher cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and sociodemographic risk have increased likelihood of lower social functioning in early adulthood than those without risk, and could benefit from receiving earlier support to scaffold the development of social skills.

Source: Early Human Development

DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106475