Two studies found infants' scores on the Range of State Cluster of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale with Kansas Supplements to correlate significantly with visual discrimination performance at three months of age. The correlation with behavioral state organization contradicted the prediction that orientation scores would predict visual…

Reports comparisons of behaviors of nine chimpanzee and nine human newborns on a standardized human neonatal assessment scale at the ages of three days and one month. Human infants scored higher than chimpanzee infants on the orientation cluster at both ages, but were lower than chimpanzee infants in motoric maturity. (RJC)

Neonates born without complications to healthy mothers at 14,000 feet or at 490 feet above sea level were evaluated at 24-36- and 48-60-hours-of-life. In comparison with low-altitude infants, high-altitude infants were significantly lighter, shorter, had a smaller arm circumference, and presented more signs of behavioral immaturity in interactive…

Ninety-two clinically normal infants (48 male, 44 female) were tested at 2 and 90 days of age to examine the continuity of newborn behavior through early infancy across a broad range of behaviors. (MP)

A multiple regression analysis studied additive effects of maternal age and prenatal and perinatal factors in relation to neonatal behavior. Analysis indicated that the combination of biomedical variables significantly predicted neonatal behavior, in both cultures (Florida and Puerto Rico), suggesting that age effects increased in the presence of…

This study examined the effect of a modification of nursing care on stressors associated with care procedures for low birth weight infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); and on infants' physiological, motor, and behavioral development. The nursing staff of an NICU received training to reduce environmental and procedural stress, support…

This study presents research findings of a four year study intended to identify infant and family characteristics which, singly or in combination, predict developmental problems during preschool and school years. Predictors included a variety of measures of parental and neonatal biological conditions as well as measures of the quality of the…

Providing several examples of current research efforts, this report describes the research on maternal and child health supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The Institute conducts a coordinated program of research and research training to advance knowledge related to pregnancy and maternal health,…