Longitudinal assessment of social cognition in infants born preterm using eye-tracking and parent–child play

Abstract

Preterm birth is associated with reduced social attention in infancy. Are these early social attention differences linked to later interactive ability? This study draws on a well-characterized preterm cohort in whom we have previously demonstrated a reduced attentional preference for social information in infancy, using eye-tracking. States of engagement during parent–child play at 60 months were coded for 36 preterm- and 31 term-born children. We also repeated the eye-tracking assessment of social attention previously performed in infancy and evaluated neurodevelopment via the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. Children born preterm or at term spent similar percentages of time in different engagement states. Infant and child social attentional profiles did not relate to the complexity of engagement. Preterm infants' language impairments correlated with time spent in conversational joint engagement. Children born preterm showed complex social interaction abilities unrelated to their profile of social attention in infancy.