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The preterm infant as a social partner: Responsive but unreadable

Publication ,  Journal Article
McGehee, LJ; Eckerman, CO
Published in: Infant Behavior and Development
January 1, 1983

The behavioral responses of 16 very low birthweight premature infants and 16 full-term infants to social stimulation were assessed at the time of discharge from the hospital. Each infant was exposed to visual, auditory, tactile, and combined auditory and tactile social stimulation. Both groups of infants were found to be more motorically active and less visually responsive when tactually stimulated. Preterm infants differed significantly from full-term infants in their high frequency of body movement and arousal. The two groups did not differ in their ability to orient visually, sustain enface gaze and generally appear socially available. The results suggest a different pattern of response organization in the preterm infant; the infant is able to visually orient to a partner but unable to control erratic body movements, gasps and grunts, or frequent shifts in state. As a social partner, the preterm infant, though socially responsive, may not be "readable" by the caregiver. © 1983.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Infant Behavior and Development

DOI

ISSN

0163-6383

Publication Date

January 1, 1983

Volume

6

Issue

4

Start / End Page

461 / 470

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

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McGehee, L. J., & Eckerman, C. O. (1983). The preterm infant as a social partner: Responsive but unreadable. Infant Behavior and Development, 6(4), 461–470. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-6383(83)90271-0
McGehee, L. J., and C. O. Eckerman. “The preterm infant as a social partner: Responsive but unreadable.” Infant Behavior and Development 6, no. 4 (January 1, 1983): 461–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0163-6383(83)90271-0.
McGehee LJ, Eckerman CO. The preterm infant as a social partner: Responsive but unreadable. Infant Behavior and Development. 1983 Jan 1;6(4):461–70.
McGehee, L. J., and C. O. Eckerman. “The preterm infant as a social partner: Responsive but unreadable.” Infant Behavior and Development, vol. 6, no. 4, Jan. 1983, pp. 461–70. Scopus, doi:10.1016/S0163-6383(83)90271-0.
McGehee LJ, Eckerman CO. The preterm infant as a social partner: Responsive but unreadable. Infant Behavior and Development. 1983 Jan 1;6(4):461–470.
Journal cover image

Published In

Infant Behavior and Development

DOI

ISSN

0163-6383

Publication Date

January 1, 1983

Volume

6

Issue

4

Start / End Page

461 / 470

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 52 Psychology
  • 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences