Irene M. Loe|Heidi M. Feldman|Lynne C. Huffman
Executive Function Mediates Effects of Gestational Age on Functional Outcomes and Behavior in Preschoolers
Lucile Packard Foundation for Childrens Health|National Institutes of Health|Stanford University|Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development|Fundación Juan March|Lucile Packard Foundation for Childrens Health|Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development|National Institutes of Health|Stanford University|Fundación Juan March|Lucile Packard Foundation for Childrens Health|Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development|National Institutes of Health|Fundación Juan March|Stanford University
investigate role executive function ef skills measured parentrating performancebased instruments mediators effects gestational age ga functional outcomes behavior symptoms preterm pt fullterm ft preschoolerschildren born pt n 70 mean ga 296 weeks mean birth weight 1365 g compared children born ft n 79 composite measures ef using behavior rating inventory executive function performancebased ef battery adaptive function prereading skills behavior symptoms entire sample mediation analyses examined effect ga outcomes ef mediatorcompared children born ft children born pt significantly higher parentrated ef scores lower performancebased ef scores indicating problems furthermore children born pt lower adaptive function prereading scores problematic behavior ga contributed adaptive function prereading skills behavior symptoms children ef acted mediator ga 3 outcomes different patterns emerged parentrated performancebased ef evaluations adaptive function ef measures significantly mediated effects ga prereading skills performancebased ef significant behavior symptoms parentrated ef significantwe propose standard assessment ef using parentrating performancebased ef measures young pt children children risk ef impairments ef skills measurable mediate important functional outcomes may serve intervention targets