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Yoko Nomura, Jeffrey M. Halperin, Jeffrey H. Newcorn, Charles Davey, William P. Fifer, David A. Savitz, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, The Risk for Impaired Learning-related Abilities in Childhood and Educational Attainment Among Adults Born Near-term, Journal of Pediatric Psychology, Volume 34, Issue 4, May 2009, Pages 406–418, https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsn092
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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.
