Predictors of preschool performance skills of extremely low birth weight children at three years of age

grantor: University of TorontoThe study was undertaken to examine extremely low birth weight (ELBW) preterm three year olds in order to determine the relationship between perinatal risk variables and preschool performance. A multivariate risk index consisting of eight risk predictors (birthweight, gestational age, number of days ventilated, presence of brain lesions, presence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, small or average weight for gestational age, gender and socioeconomic status) was designed and seven outcome variables of the Peabody Motor Scales (PDMS) and the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) were examined in a regression analysis. The risk index was most accurate in predicting the MAP Nonverbal Index (which measured memory and visual-spatial perception) and the MAP Complex Tasks Index(which measured skills combining visual-spatial perception and motor planning). Gender, Birthweight, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia and Brain Lesion entered most frequently at levels of significance into logistic regression analysis between the risk index and outcome measures. Comparative analysis of the data indicated that this population of ELBW preschoolers were performing one standard deviation below the mean in gross motor and fine motor skills as measured by the Peabody Motor Scales and below the fortieth percentile on the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers in other domains of preschool performance. The risk index successfully classified ELBW preschoolers at a rate of 80 percent at extreme ranges of performance on the MAP Nonverbal Index and the Complex Tasks Index. Implications for use of corrected vs uncorrected age scores for the ELBW population are discussed as are the relative strengths and weaknesses of their skills in preschool performance domains.Ph.D