The followup study of assessment and support for very low birth weight infants who have reached puberty

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K03115
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10030:Clinical psychology-related
• Research Institution: Seigakuin University (2019-2022); Taisho University (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Morioka Yukiko 聖学院大学, 心理福祉学部, 特任教授 (70113983)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 柴田 康順 大正大学, 心理社会学部, 准教授 (30803415)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 極低出生体重児 / 発達のアセスメント / 追跡調査 / WISC-Ⅲ / クラスタ分析 / CBCL / 事例研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Assessment of the developmental and school adjustment status and psychological
support for approximately 300 children born with extremely low birth weight who had reached school age (6, 9, and 12 years old) were conducted. Assessment was conducted in the pediatric outpatient department of Hospital A. Necessary support for learning with/without vision training were conducted by Morioka and Enomoto at the NPO Developmental Support Center. The average IQ on the WISC-Ill was around 100, but the discrepancy of VIQ-PIQ was large (VIQ>PIQ). The children were classified into three clusters according to the result of cluster analysis using their group indices. One cluster with remarkably low group indices showed improvement of group indices on the WISC-III by the age of 12, but some of them were aware of internal problem ("anxiety and depression" in CBCL) by the age of 12, suggesting the need for support during the compulsory education period.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年増加している極低出生体重児について就学前からのアセスメントと継続支援を実施している機関は少なく、多くの調査研究は9歳までのフォローアップで終わっている。その点本研究は、中学までの義務教育期間対象者を縦断的にフォローアップし、具体的な支援をしていることに特徴があると考える。また、小児科医とNPO機関が連携して支援をしている点でも意義があるといえる。
今回、VLBW児のWISC-Ⅲをクラスタ分析した結果、3つのタイプに類型化されたことは、今後の支援する際の手がかりとなるであろう。