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Journal of Pediatric Psychology Advance Access originally published online on September 15, 2008
Journal of Pediatric Psychology 2009 34(4):406-418; doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsn092
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

The Risk for Impaired Learning-related Abilities in Childhood and Educational Attainment Among Adults Born Near-term

Yoko Nomura, PhD MPH1, Jeffrey M. Halperin, PhD1,2, Jeffrey H. Newcorn, MD1, Charles Davey, MA3, William P. Fifer, PhD4, David A. Savitz, PhD5 and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, PhD4,6,7

1Department of Psychiatry, 2Department of Psychology, Queens College, 3The School at Columbia University, 4Department of Pediatrics, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 5Department of Community & Preventative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 6Child and Parent Development and Education, and 7National Center for Children and Families, Teachers College Columbia University

All correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Yoko Nomura, PhD, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY 10029. E-mail: yoko.nomura{at}mssm.edu


  Abstract

Objective To examine whether near-term births (NTB) and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants are at high risk for childhood learning-related problems and poor adult educational attainment, and whether poverty amplifies the adverse effects of NTB and SGA on those outcomes. Methods A randomly selected birth cohort (n = 1,619) was followed into adulthood. IQ and learning abilities were measured in childhood and educational attainment was measured in adulthood. Results NTB (n = 226) and SGA (n = 154) were associated with lower educational attainment mediated through learning-related abilities at age 7. Childhood poverty moderated the impact of NTB on educational attainment both directly and mediated through lower learning-related abilities. Poverty did not moderate the effect of SGA. Conclusions Poorer learning-related outcomes and educational attainment were not limited to children born very (<32 weeks) or extremely (<28 weeks) preterm, especially among those living in poverty. Targeted interventions such as remedial learning during childhood among NTB in poor families may yield higher educational attainment.

Key words: educational attainment; learning abilities; near-term birth; poverty; small-for-gestational-age.

Received January 5, 2008; revision received August 9, 2008; accepted August 12, 2008


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