There is no comprehensive standardized, normed assessment of neurobehavioral performance of normal Or high risk infants during the perinatal period.
The specific aim of this project is to develop standardized norms for newborn neurobehavioral performance for gestational age (GA) groups and where appropriate, gender and/or race/ethnicity groups during the perinatal period using a uniquely comprehensive psychometrically sound scale, the Neonatal Intensive Care Research Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS). Standardization of the NNNS will be a significant methodological advance for research in neonatology, pediatrics, pediatric neurology, and child development. It will provide norms to evaluate relations between neurobehavioral status and medical and social status variables, and to evaluate the effects of medical and developmental interventions (including changes in NICU ecology and early intervention) on neurobehavioral status during the perinatal period and at older ages. Furthermore, a standardized instrument will facilitate comparison of studies and the development of large data bases. Standardized norms will have a significant impact on clinical care because norms will identify neonates who are functionally abnormal or suspect and permit the evaluation of individual infants in comparison to the norms. We propose to carry out a prospective longitudinal study on a sample of 720 infants stratified by (1) GA: 1] 28-33 weeks; 2] 34-37 weeks; 3] 38-42 weeks; (2) 3 racial/ethnic groups (Black, Hispanic, White); and (3) gender. Within the boundaries of our exclusion criteria, the medical and social status of the infants will be free to vary. Infants in each GA group will be examined with the NNNS three times: 1] when medically stable +3 days or at Birth + 1 day, 2] Term (i.e., for the term group this is the same as Birth +1 day), and 3] at 44 weeks GA. Gestational age will be carefully defined using the converging measures.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01HD037138-01A1
Application #
2909024
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Haverkos, Lynne
Project Start
1999-08-01
Project End
2003-07-31
Budget Start
1999-08-01
Budget End
2000-07-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Hospital Boston
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Tronick, Ed; Lester, Barry M (2013) Grandchild of the NBAS: the NICU network neurobehavioral scale (NNNS): a review of the research using the NNNS. J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs 26:193-203
Montirosso, Rosario; Cozzi, Patrizia; Tronick, Ed et al. (2012) Differential distribution and lateralization of infant gestures and their relation to maternal gestures in the Face-to-Face Still-Face paradigm. Infant Behav Dev 35:819-28
Montirosso, Rosario; Del Prete, Alberto; Bellu, Roberto et al. (2012) Level of NICU quality of developmental care and neurobehavioral performance in very preterm infants. Pediatrics 129:e1129-37
Fink, Nadine S; Tronick, Edward; Olson, Karen et al. (2012) Healthy newborns' neurobehavior: norms and relations to medical and demographic factors. J Pediatr 161:1073-9
DeSantis, Andrea; Harkins, Debra; Tronick, Ed et al. (2011) Exploring an integrative model of infant behavior: what is the relationship among temperament, sensory processing, and neurobehavioral measures? Infant Behav Dev 34:280-92
Montirosso, Rosario; Borgatti, Renato; Trojan, Sabina et al. (2010) A comparison of dyadic interactions and coping with still-face in healthy pre-term and full-term infants. Br J Dev Psychol 28:347-68