Changes in social relationships from 26 to 34 years of age in adults born very preterm

Abstract

Background: Very preterm and/or very low birthweight (VP/VLBW; <32 weeks' gestation and/or <1500 g birthweight) individuals rated their partner and peer relationships lower than term-born individuals in emerging adulthood, but their quality of relationships with parents has been rarely investigated. Moreover, it is unclear whether previously reported differences in social relationship characteristics persist or lessen from emerging to established adulthood. Objectives: To investigate changes in social relationship characteristics in VP/VLBW adults compared to term-born adults from 26 to 34 years and whether the association between VP/VLBW and social relationship characteristics varies according to sex. Methods: In this prospective whole-population birth cohort study in South Bavaria, Germany, social relationship characteristics with parents, partners and peers, and overall social relationships across these domains were evaluated with a Life Course Interview at 26 and 34 years. Interview items related to these domains were extracted and scored as 0 (optimal) and 1 (non-optimal). Each score was summed into domain-specific composite scores and standardised according to the total sample. Results: Participants included 262 VP/VLBW (52.7% males) and 230 term-born individuals (47.0% males). VP/VLBW adults had lower overall social relationship scores than term-born adults (β = −.61, 95% CI −0.85, −0.37). Specifically, partner (β = −.50, 95% CI−0.74, −0.27) and peer relationship scores (β = −.55, 95% CI−0.78, −0.32) were lower than those of term-born adults, but scores did not differ for parent relationships. On average, partner (β =.25, 95% CI 0.14, 0.35) and peer relationship scores increased (β =.16, 95% CI 0.03, 0.29), while parent relationship scores decreased (β = −.64, 95% CI−0.79, −0.49) from 26 to 34 years. These changes were similar for VP/VLBW and term-born individuals. Conclusions: Patterns of change for the improved partner and peer but worsening parental social relationship scores were common across VP/VLBW and term-born adults, but differences between the two groups persisted from 26 to 34 years.