TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of sensitive parenting on the academic resilience of very preterm and very low birth weight adolescents

AU - Wolke, Dieter

AU - Jaekel, Julia

AU - Hall, James

AU - Baumann, Nicole

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by grants PKE24 , JUG14 , 01EP9504 , and 01ER0801 from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Science (BMBF) .

PY - 2013/11

Y1 - 2013/11

N2 - Purpose Although sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting is a powerful predictor of school success, it may not protect against increased neonatal risk resulting from underlying neurological damage. Methods A total of 314 very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 338 term control children were studied from birth to age 13 years. Socioeconomic status was examined at birth. Neurological and physical impairment was assessed at age 20 months, and sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting at age 6 years. School success was measured from 6 to 13 years of age. Results Very preterm/very low birth weight children had lower school success between 6 and 13 years, after statistically controlling for child disability and socioeconomic status. Cognitively stimulating parenting promoted all children's school success whereas highly sensitive parenting at age 6 years partly protected against the adverse effects of VP/VLBW birth on academic outcomes. Conclusions Very preterm/very low birth weight children's school success to age 13 years may be partly protected with sensitive parenting in middle childhood, despite the neurodevelopmental impairments associated with VP/VLBW birth. This suggests potential avenues for interventions for children born at high neonatal risk.

AB - Purpose Although sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting is a powerful predictor of school success, it may not protect against increased neonatal risk resulting from underlying neurological damage. Methods A total of 314 very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 338 term control children were studied from birth to age 13 years. Socioeconomic status was examined at birth. Neurological and physical impairment was assessed at age 20 months, and sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting at age 6 years. School success was measured from 6 to 13 years of age. Results Very preterm/very low birth weight children had lower school success between 6 and 13 years, after statistically controlling for child disability and socioeconomic status. Cognitively stimulating parenting promoted all children's school success whereas highly sensitive parenting at age 6 years partly protected against the adverse effects of VP/VLBW birth on academic outcomes. Conclusions Very preterm/very low birth weight children's school success to age 13 years may be partly protected with sensitive parenting in middle childhood, despite the neurodevelopmental impairments associated with VP/VLBW birth. This suggests potential avenues for interventions for children born at high neonatal risk.

KW - Academic resilience

KW - Neonatal risk

KW - School success

KW - Sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting

KW - Very low birth weight

KW - Very preterm

KW - VP/VLBW birth

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84886783085&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.06.014

DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.06.014

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23910570

AN - SCOPUS:84886783085

VL - 53

SP - 642

EP - 647

JO - Journal of Adolescent Health

JF - Journal of Adolescent Health

SN - 1054-139X

IS - 5

ER -