Personality in Adults Who Were Born Very Preterm.

Abstract

AIMTo investigate the personality in very preterm individuals (VPT; gestational age, GA, METHODDemographic data were extracted for all individuals born in Denmark in 1974-76 and 1980-82. From each period one index-group each comprising 150 individuals with the lowest gestational age was selected. Thereafter two control groups born at term were matched by gender, age and residential area. Personality was assessed with the short version of NEO PI-R, and psychiatric diagnoses were obtained from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register.RESULTSOf all the individuals born INTERPRETATIONImproved survival of VPT infants was not associated with increased deviances in the personality as adults. The personality traits in VPT individuals differ moderately from those of term born controls. High scores in neuroticism and low scores in extraversion were associated with increased risk psychiatric disorders. VPT adults also showed signs of positive adaptation in the form of an agreeable and confident attitude towards others.WHAT THIS PAPER ADDSThe much improved survival rate in very preterm infants during the early years of active neonatology was not associated with increased risk of personality deviation. There are signs of positive adaptation in the form of increased agreeableness in young adults born very preterm.