Indicates that the Bayley Scales are a useful assessment tool for characterizing the behavior of premature infants. Results further indicate the need for going beyond summary scores of mental and motor performance and assessing performance in specific areas to obtain a more meaningful picture of individual infants' development. (RH)

Findings indicated that zygosity was not related to behavioral scores during the neonatal period, and that environment substantially influenced neonatal temperament. Specific perinatal indicators of risk were found to account for some of the intrapair differences in behavioral variables. (RH)

Examined the learning of a manipulative response by well and at-risk infants of 6 to 13 months of age who had experienced respiratory interventions in the perinatal period. Risk status reliably predicted the learning performance. Results confirmed that the effects of perinatal interventions involving respiratory complications influenced infants'…

Addresses three questions: (1) To what extent do risk factors of prematurity and illness affect neonatal characteristics? (2) Do these risk factors continue to account for differences in mother and infant social interactive behavior at three months? and (three) To what degree are neonatal characteristics predictive of mother and infant behavior at…

Addresses the utility of a noninvasive measure of cardiac vagal tone in predicting developmental outcome among infants at risk for cognitive disabilities. Results suggest that measurement of cardiac vagal tone may provide an important means for assessing risk in birth-stressed populations. (Author/RH)