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Lack of social support as measured by the Family Resource Scale screening tool is associated with early adverse cognitive outcome in extremely low birth weight children

Journal of Perinatology volume 39, pages 1546–1554 (2019)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

Extremely low birth weight children are at high risk for cognitive impairment.

Study design

Cognitive outcome of extremely low birth weight children participating in a Neonatal Research Network, randomized trial was evaluated at 18 and 30 months corrected age using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd ed. Family resources and social support were assessed using a Family Resource Scale parent questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to determine independent demographic, medical, and family resource factors influencing longitudinal cognitive outcome.

Result

Higher Family Resource Scale scores at 18 months were associated with greater improvement in cognitive scores between 18 and 30 months. Cognitive outcome was most adversely affected in children whose families had the least resources and social support. The adverse effect of poor social support was independent of family income.

Conclusion

Poor interpersonal social support has an independent, adverse impact on cognitive outcomes of extremely low birth weight infants.

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Acknowledgements

The National Institutes of Health, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the National Center for Research Resources provided grant support for the Neonatal Research Network’s Glutamine Study through cooperative agreements. While NICHD staff did have input into the study design, conduct, analysis, and manuscript drafting, the content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Participating NRN sites collected data and transmitted it to RTI International, the data coordinating center (DCC) for the network, which stored, managed, and analyzed the data for this study. On behalf of the NRN, Drs. Abhik Das (DCC Principal Investigator) and Carla M. Bann (DCC Statistician) had full access to all of the data in the study, and with the NRN Center Principal Investigators, take responsibility for the integrity of the data and accuracy of the data analysis. We are indebted to our medical and nursing colleagues and the infants and their parents who agreed to take part in this study. The following investigators, in addition to those listed as authors, participated in this study: NRN Chair: Alan H. Jobe, M.D. Ph.D, University of Cincinnati. Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (U10 HD27904)—William Oh, M.D.; Angelita Hensman, BSN RNC; Lucy Noel, RN; Barbara Alksininis, PNP; Martha R. Leonard, BA; Rachel A. Vogt, M.D.; Teresa M. Leach, M.Ed CAES; Victoria E. Watson, M.S. CAS. Case Western Reserve University, Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital (U10 HD21364, M01 RR80)—Michele C. Walsh, M.D. M.S.; Avroy A. Fanaroff, M.D.; Deanne Wilson-Costello, M.D.; Nancy S. Newman, RN; Bonnie S. Siner, RN; Harriet G. Friedman, M.A. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University Hospital, and Good Samaritan Hospital (U10 HD27853, M01 RR8084)—Edward F. Donovan, M.D.; Jean Steichen, M.D.; Barbara Alexander, RN; Cathy Grisby, BSN CCRC; Marcia Worley Mersmann, RN CCRC; Holly L. Mincey, RN BSN; Jody Hessling, RN; Teresa L. Gratton, PA. Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Grady Memorial Hospital, and Emory Crawford Long Hospital (U10 HD27851, M01 RR39)—Barbara J. Stoll, M.D.; Ira Adams- Chapman, M.D.; Ellen C. Hale, RN BS CCRC; Maureen Mulligan LaRossa, RN; Sheena Carter, Ph.D; Michelle Tidwell, BSN. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development—Linda L. Wright, M.D.; Elizabeth M. McClure, M.Ed. Indiana University, University Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children, and Wishard Health Services (U10 HD27856, M01 RR750)—Brenda B. Poindexter, M.D. M.S.; James A. Lemons, M.D.; Diana D. Appel, RN BSN; Lon G. Bohnke, M.S.; Marilyn Bull, M.D.; Anna M. Dusick, M.D. FAAP (deceased); Greg Eaken, Ph.D; Dianne E. Herron, RN; Darlene Kardatzke, M.D.; Carolyn Lytle, M.D. MPH; Lucy C. Miller, RN BSN CCRC; Leslie Richard, RN; Leslie D. Wilson, BSN CCRC. RTI International (U10 HD36790)—W. Kenneth Poole, Ph.D (deceased); Betty K. Hastings; Elizabeth M. McClure, Med; Carolyn Petrie Huitema, M.S. Stanford University, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (U10 HD27880, M01 RR70)—David K. Stevenson, M.D.; Barry E. Fleisher, M.D.; Susan R. Hintz, M.D. M.S. Epi; M. Bethany Ball, BS CCRC; Joan M. Baran, Ph.D; Lori E. Bond, Ph.D; Carol G. Kuelper, Ph.D; Julie C. Lee, Ph.D; Renee P. Pyle, Ph.D; Nicholas St. John, Ph.D. University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System and Children’s Hospital of Alabama (U10 HD34216, M01 RR32)—Waldemar A. Carlo, M.D.; Myriam Peralta-Carcelen, M.D.; Kirstin J. Bailey, Ph.D; Fred J. Biasini, Ph.D; Stephanie A. Chopko, Ph.D; Monica V. Collins, RN BSN MaEd; Shirley S. Cosby, RN BSN; Vivien A. Phillips, RN BSN; Richard V. Rector, Ph.D. University of California San Diego Medical Center and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women (U10 HD40461)—Neil N. Finer, M.D.; Maynard R. Rasmussen, M.D.; Jack M. Anderson, M.D.; Kathy Arnell, RN; Donna Posin, OTR/L MPA. University of Miami Holtz Children’s Hospital (U10 HD21397, M01 RR16587)—Shahnaz Duara, M.D.; Charles R. Bauer, M.D.; Ruth Everett-Thomas, RN MSN; Maria Calejo, M.S.; Alexis N. Diaz, BA; Silvia M. Frade, BA; Yamiley Gideon, BA; Kasey Hamlin-Smith, Ph.D; Silvia Hiriart-Fajardo, M.D.; Lisa Jean-Gilles, BA; Elaine O. Mathews, RN. University of Tennessee (U10 HD21415)—Sheldon B. Korones, M.D. (deceased); Henrietta S. Bada, M.D.; Tina Hudson, RN BSN; Kimberly Yolton, Ph.D; Marilyn Williams, LCSW. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Parkland Health & Hospital System, and Children’s Medical Center Dallas (U10 HD40689, M01 RR633)—Abbot R. Laptook, M.D.; Walid A. Salhab, M.D.; R. Sue Broyles, M.D.; Roy J. Heyne, M.D.; Susie Madison, RN; Jackie F. Hickman, RN; Alicia Guzman; Sally Adams, PNP; Linda Madden, PNP; Elizabeth Heyne, PA; Cristin Dooley, MS CIMI. Wayne State University, Hutzel Women’s Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Michigan (U10 HD21385)—Seetha Shankaran, M.D.; Yvette Johnson, M.D.; Rebecca Bara, RN BSN; Geraldine Muran, RN BSN; Deborah Kennedy, RN BSN; Laura Goldston, MA. Yale University, Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital (U10 HD27871, M01 RR6022)—Richard A. Ehrenkranz, M.D.; Patricia Gettner, RN; Monica Konstantino, RN; Elaine Romano, RN BSN; Nancy Close, PhD; Walter Gilliam, Ph.D.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA

    Martha G. Fuller & Yvonne E. Vaucher

  2. RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, NC, USA

    Carla M. Bann & Abhik Das

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Women, and Infants Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

    Betty R. Vohr

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  1. Martha G. Fuller
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Correspondence to Martha G. Fuller.

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Fuller, M.G., Vaucher, Y.E., Bann, C.M. et al. Lack of social support as measured by the Family Resource Scale screening tool is associated with early adverse cognitive outcome in extremely low birth weight children. J Perinatol 39, 1546–1554 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0462-2

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