Social functioning questionnaires of adolescents born preterm show average profiles and attenuated gender differences

AIM Prematurity has been shown to affect social competence in children and adults. Our aim was to evaluate profiles of self-reported social behaviours and loneliness in preterm- and term-born adolescents. METHODS Preterm (≤1500 g and, or, <32 gestational weeks)- and term-born infants were recruited in Turku University Hospital from 2001 to 2006. The Multisource Assessment of Children's Social Competence Scale and the Peer Network and Dyadic Loneliness Scale were completed at the age of 11. Profiles of social competence and loneliness were labelled as low, average or high. RESULTS A total of 172 preterm-born and 134 term-born adolescents returned the questionnaires. Most frequently, preterm adolescents reported a profile of average social competence and average levels of loneliness. Preterm-born boys reported a profile of low social functioning less often (preterm-born 36% vs. term-born 54%), and preterm-born girls reported a profile of high social functioning less frequently (preterm-born 26% vs. term-born 37%) than same-sex controls. Sex differences in social functioning profiles were smaller in preterm than term-born adolescents. CONCLUSION The majority of young adolescents born preterm reported a high or average social functioning profile irrespective of sex. Prematurity seems to level out differences between the sexes.