TABLE 1.
Sample Characteristics
| Variables | HR VLBW Infants (n = 77) |
LR VLBW Infants (n = 43) |
Term Infants (n = 79) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth weight (in grams)a | 956.14 ± 257.14 | 1263.84 ± 177.92 | 3475.91 ± 544.29 |
| Gestational age (weeks)a | 27.25 ± 2.12 | 30.37 ± 2.48 | 39.78 ± 1.32 |
| Multiple birth | |||
| Singleton N (%) | 65 (84%) | 26 (61%) | 75 (95%) |
| Multipleb N (%) | 12 (16%) | 17 (40%) | 4 (5%) |
| Race | |||
| African American N (%) | 34 (44%) | 22 (51%) | 37 (47%) |
| European American N (%) | 43 (56%) | 21 (49%) | 42 (53%) |
| Social classc | 3.45 ± 1.16 | 3.65 ± 1.11 | 3.63 ± 1.03 |
| Maternal psychological distressd | 0.416 ± 0.422 | 0.26 ± 0.31 | 0.34 ± 0.48 |
| Moderatee (%) | 23% | 5% | 13% |
| Severef (%) | 0% | 0% | 4% |
| Maternal social supportg | 12.89 ± 4.24 | 13.33 ± 4.59 | 13.38 ± 4.55 |
Note. HR = high risk; VLBW = very low birth weight; LR = low risk.
a
HR VLBW < LR VLBW < Term, p < .001.
b
LR VLBW > HR VLBW, p < .001; LR VLBW > Term, p < .001.
c
M ± SD; Hollingshead Scale (Hollingshead, 1957); range = 1 – 5, highest - lowest social class.
d
M ± SD; Global Severity Index of Psychological Distress (GSI); (Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1983) score; range = 0 – 4, lowest – highest.
e
> 84th percentile compared to female, nonpatient norms for GSI (Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1983); HR VLBW > LR VLBW and Term, p < .05.
f
> 98th percentile compared to female, nonpatient norms for GSI (Derogatis & Melisaratos, 1983).
g
Social Isolation Subscale, Parenting Stress Index (Abidin, 1986); range = 6 – 30, lowest – highest, reverse coded.