Predictors of one-year developmental status in low birth weight infants.

The purpose of the present study was to describe the relations among various perinatal, environmental, and demographic measures in a sample of low birth weight infants and to relate those measures to 1-year developmental status. Perinatal variables included birth weight, gestational age, Apgar scores, and summary measures of respiratory distress and morbidity. Home visits provided ratings of the infants' environment at 7 and 12 months corrected age. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development were given at the 12-month home visit. A principal components factor analysis revealed four factors. The first factor was labeled an immaturity-illness factor, since it was primarily composed of gestational age, birth weight, and the respiratory distress and morbidity summary scores. Ratings of the infant's home environment loaded on the second factor, the demographic variables on the third factor, and the 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores comprised the fourth factor. The four factor scores together with the number of delays on the Denver Developmental Screening Test, given at 7 months corrected age, were entered as independent variables in four multiple regression analyses with the corrected and uncorrected mental development index index (MDI) and psychomotor development index (PDI) Bayley scores as the dependent variables. These regression analyses indicated that 1-year developmental status is a reflection of the infant's immaturity and neonatal morbidity, the quality of his or her home environment, and freedom from sensorimotor delays.