The cognitive emotional development of high-risk infants - The plasticity and the prognosis -

2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 12610155
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 教育・社会系心理学
• Research Institution: Tsurumi Junior Cellege
• Principal Investigator: SAITO Akira Tsurumi Junior College, Associate Professor, 保育科, 助教授 (10225691)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): TADA Hiroshi Toho University School of Medicine, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (90197369)
• Project Period (FY): 2000 – 2003
• Keywords: cognitive emotional development / attachment / high risk infant / right EEG asymmetry

Research Abstract

Twenty-five preterm infants and their mothers participated in our research. NBAS, heart rate variability, and EEG were recorded 8 times during the first 12 months after delivery. Fp1,Fp2,C3,C4,O1,O2,T3, and T4 were recorded according to the 10-20 method. Heart rate variability and EEG were recorded when infants were sleeping.
Stepwise multiple regression analysis used the NBAS, spectrum values of heart rate variability, and the right EEG asymmetry to predict the attachment behavior of the strange situation procedure. Infants who avoided their mothers strongly at the reunion episodes showed right EEG asymmetry.
Accentuated activation in the right anterior region is hypothesized to increase a person's vulnerability to withdrawal-related emotion and behavior(Davidosn and Thomarken,1989). Our result would corroborate their hypothesis.
It has been reported that B-infants develop their cognitive emotional ability well, while A-infants who avoid their mothers in the reunion episodes do not in America. The positive relation between the right EEG asymmetry and avoidant behavior of the reunion episodes in our infants would predict their deficiency in the cognitive emotional development in the future. Our result can be used for the clinical intervention to these infants and their mothers.