Biological risks and cognitive, behavioural and emotional outcomes in a cohort of school-age children

• Grant number: 08/05114-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2008
• End date: April 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Sonia Regina Loureiro
• Grantee: Adriana Martins Saur
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The birth of a child involves at least two important biological variables: birth weight and gestational age. The deviation in any of these parameters is a factor of neonatal risk for future development and may cause several adverse events to physical growth and full development. In this sense, factors of biological risk are considered as favorable conditions of vulnerability, which may contribute to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional impairments. However, it remains unclear whether these effects remain throughout childhood development or will be mitigated over the years. Thus, address these issues, from a developmental perspective, is of great importance inasmuch as the presence of various risk factors in the life of a single child may have a multiplier effect of trouble in his further development. The present study aims to verify the possible association between cognitive, emotional, and behavioral characteristics of a cohort of school-age children, stratified by birth weight. Based on previously collected data, it will be assessed 909 children, born in Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil, aged from 10 to 11, and divided into five groups of birth weight: very low birth weight (<1500g), low birth weight (from 1500g to 2499g), underweight (from 2500g to 3000g), normal weight (from 3001g to 4250g) and high weight (> 4250g). For the assessments will be used a screening questionnaire for mental health problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and two cognitive assessment tools: the Human Figure Drawing Test and the Raven's Progressive Matrices. Results will be statistically treated by using Pearson Correlation and Multivariate Analysis of Variance. It is intended that the analyses of data collected from a single cohort of children of school age will improve the understanding of the impact of birth weight, given the possibility offered by the comparison of groups differentiated by the variable in question and exposed to similar sociocultural backgrounds. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SAUR, Adriana Martins. Biological risks and cognitive, behavioral and emotional outcomes of a cohort of school-age children. 2012. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.