TVPIPD · Trajectories of social, emotional and attention problems following very preterm birth: Individual participant data meta-analyses via international data sharing

Trajectories of social, emotional and attention problems following very preterm birth: Individual participant data meta-analyses via international data sharing

Each year over two million babies are born very preterm (VP; before 32 weeks of gestation) and/or with very low birthweight (VLBW; less than 1500g) worldwide. Despite improved neonatal care, these children remain at high risk for developmental problems later in life. Among the most common developmental problems are social, emotional and attention problems which can have a negative impact on a child’s lifelong health and wellbeing. To target interventions to improve outcomes across the lifespan, it is critical to understand trajectories of social, emotional and attention problems after VP/VLBW birth, that is, how these problems develop and change as children grow older. Although a wealth of data has already been collected in cross-sectional studies, there is still a lack of research investigating trajectories of social, emotional and attention problems in very preterm born children and adolescents. This project thus far drew together data from 18 international birth cohort studies. This includes data about outcomes in childhood and adolescence from approximately 4,500 VP/VLBW and term born participants. I used novel, innovative statistical techniques to harmonise data from mental health assessments to create a unique dataset which will allow me to carry out the largest study of trajectories of attention, social and emotional problems to date. The results will advance theoretical understanding of how social, emotional and attention problems develop in children born VP/VLBW. They are likely to have international impact by informing the development of clinical guidelines for follow-up care, intervention, parental counselling and educational policy and planning. The scientific objectives were to: (1) bring together existing international data on social, emotional and attention problems, (2) apply novel and innovative statistical techniques to harmonise data from two different instruments that measure social, emotional and attention problems, (3) determine the trajectory of social, emotional and attention problems from childhood to adolescence after VP/VLBW birth, (4) test whether social, emotional and attention problems are more stable among VP/VLBW than among term-born children and adolescents, and (5) identify and test factors that may affect the development of social, emotional and attention problems in VP/VLBW children. The ultimate aim of this research project was to improve lifelong outcomes for children born very preterm.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union