Precursors of mental health problems for low birth weight children: the salience of family environment during the first year of life.

The purpose of this study was to determine the contributions of infant characteristics and early family environment to the incidence of emotional and behavioral problems for low birth weight children. Data were collected from ethnically diverse families of 110 children who had a birth weight of less than 2500 grams. Results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that inadequate family income, troubles with family cohesion and adaptability, and an infant's insecure attachment to the mother accounted for 48% of the variance in the incidence of emotional-behavioral problems for children. None of the infants' characteristics, including birth weight, perinatal morbidity, cognitive ability and social competence, entered the regression model. Findings suggest that family environment is a key factor in the low birth weight child's risk for early mental health problems.