Problems in peer relationships and low engagement in romantic relationships in preterm born adolescents

effects of maternal warmth in early childhood

verfasst von
Ayten Bilgin, Dieter Wolke, Hayley Trower, Nicole Baumann, Katri Räikkönen, Kati Heinonen, Eero Kajantie, Daniel Schnitzlein, Sakari Lemola
Abstract

This study examined whether maternal warmth in early childhood moderates the association between preterm birth and problems in peer relationships and low engagement in romantic relationships in adolescence. We studied 9193 individuals from the Millennium Cohort Study in the United Kingdom, 99 (1.1%) of whom were born very preterm (VPT; < 32 weeks of gestation) and 629 (6.8%) moderate-to-late preterm (MLPT; 32–36 weeks gestation). Maternal warmth was reported by the mothers when their children were 3 years old. Peer relationship problems were reported by both the participants and their mothers at 14 and 17 years. Further, participants reported their engagement in romantic relationships at 14 and 17 years. All outcome variables were z-standardized, and the moderation effect was examined via hierarchical linear regressions. Compared to full-term birth, both MLPT and VPT birth were associated with lower engagement in romantic relationships at 17 years of age (b =.04, p =.02; b =.11, p =.02, respectively), and VPT birth was associated with increased peer relationship problems at 14 (b =.29, p =.01) and 17 years of age (b =.22, p =.046). Maternal warmth in early childhood was similarly associated with lower peer relationship problems in MLPT, VPT and full-term born adolescents. However, there was no influence of maternal warmth on engagement in romantic relationships at 17 years of age. There is no major modifying effect of maternal warmth in early childhood on the association between PT birth and peer relationship problems and low engagement in romantic relationships at 14 and 17 years of ages.

Organisationseinheit(en)
Institut für Arbeitsökonomik
Externe Organisation(en)
University of Essex
University of Warwick
University of Leicester
Monash University
Universität Helsinki
Tampere University
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
University of Oulu
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit (IZA)
Universität Bielefeld
Typ
Artikel
Journal
European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Band
33
Seiten
3495-3502
Anzahl der Seiten
8
ISSN
1018-8827
Publikationsdatum
10.2024
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Peer-reviewed
Ja
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
Pädiatrie, Perinatalogie und Gesundheitsvorsorge bei Kindern, Pädagogische und Entwicklungspsychologie, Psychiatrie und psychische Gesundheit
Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung
SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen
Elektronische Version(en)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-024-02399-6 (Zugang: Offen)