Journal of Pediatric Psychology 8(2) pp. 171-179, 1983
© 1983 Society of Pediatric Psychology
research-article |
Further Observations on Minor Anomalies and Behavior in Different Home Environments1
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Department of Parent and Child Nursing, University of Washington, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Departments of Epidemiology and Pediatrics, University of Washington
2All correspondence should be addressed to Mary A. Hammond, 205 S. Bldg., CDMRC(WJ-10), University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
Behavior, intelligence, expressive language, and motor development were assessed in a sample of 152 four-year-old children on whom examination for minor congenital anomalies had been made during infancy. Increased minor anomaly scores were associated with decrements in scores on the Motor scale of the McCarthy Scales and in expressive language in children living in less optimal environments as measured by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory. No reliable associations between minor anomalies and developmental measures were seen among children in relatively organized and stimulating environments. Correlations between anomalies scores and measures of behavior, language, and motor development differed significantly between groups living in different home environments. Separate analyses of performance on large muscle and "cognitive-motor" tasks indicated a relationship between higher anomaly scores and decreased large muscle skill and between home environment and cognitive-motor proficiency. It was concluded that minor congenital anomalies are not clinically useful predictors of development and behavior given the mediating effects of the environment.