Executive Function Outcomes at School Age in Children Born Moderate-to-Late Preterm

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dc.contributor.authorRossetti, L.
dc.contributor.authorPascoe, L.
dc.contributor.authorMainzer, R.M.
dc.contributor.authorEllis, R.
dc.contributor.authorOlsen, J.E.
dc.contributor.authorSpittle, A.J.
dc.contributor.authorDoyle, L.W.
dc.contributor.authorCheong, J.L.Y.
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, P.J.
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractObjective To compare executive function (EF) outcomes at school age between children born moderate-to-late preterm (MLP; 32-36 weeks' gestation) and term (≥37 weeks’ gestation) across subdomains of attentional control, cognitive flexibility, goal setting, and everyday executive behaviors. Study design Two hundred one children born MLP and 201 born at term were recruited from the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Children completed EF measures at 9 years of corrected age. Group differences in mean or median outcome z-scores were estimated using linear or quantile regression. EF impairment risk ratios [RRs] between groups were estimated using generalized linear models. Analyses were adjusted for multiple birth and social risk. Results One hundred fifty-nine children born MLP (79%) and 134 born at term (67%) were assessed. Compared with the term group, the MLP group performed poorer in goal setting (mean difference = −0.26, 95% CI = −0.50, −0.03, P = .03) and cognitive flexibility (mean difference = −0.32, 95% CI = −0.59, −0.05, P = .02). Children born MLP were at increased risk of behavioral executive dysfunction (RR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.05, 3.27, P = .03), impairments in cognitive flexibility (RR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.05, 3.09, P = .03), and goal setting (RR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.65, P = .02). Conclusions Children born MLP demonstrate a pattern of increased EF difficulties at school-age compared with term children, mostly within the goal setting subdomain. These difficulties are likely to affect other outcomes such as academic performance and social skills.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityLauren Rossetti, Leona Pascoe, Rheanna M. Mainzer, Rachel Ellis, Joy E. Olsen, Alicia J. Spittle, Lex W. Doyle, Jeanie L. Y. Cheong, Peter J. Anderson
dc.identifier.citationJournal of Pediatrics, 2025; 284:114634-1-114634-10
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114634
dc.identifier.issn0022-3476
dc.identifier.issn1097-6833
dc.identifier.orcidAnderson, P.J. [0000-0002-3730-4652]
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2440/148096
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/2016390
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1176077
dc.relation.granthttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1161304
dc.rights©2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114634
dc.subjectattentional control
dc.subjectbehavior
dc.subjectcognition
dc.subjectcognitive flexibility
dc.subjectexecutive function
dc.subjectgoal setting
dc.subjectpreterm birth
dc.subject.meshGestational Age
dc.titleExecutive Function Outcomes at School Age in Children Born Moderate-to-Late Preterm
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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