Executief functioneren en de relatie met opvoedingsstijl bij te vroeg geboren kinderen van drie jaar.

Abstract

Abstract Background: Premature children are at risk for problems in executive functioning. These are not only influenced by biological factors, but by environmental factors as well. Parenting style is probably an important influence on executive functioning. Aim: This study investigates whether there are differences in executive functioning between premature children and term children, whether executive functioning and parenting style are related and if there are differences in parenting style in mothers of preterm children and mothers of term children. Method: The children participated in seven executive functioning tests. Parenting style was assessed by the Parenting Dimensions Inventory. Results: Differences between premature children and the control group are found on three executive functioning tasks (measuring inhibition and shifting), in advantage of the control group. The analyses show negative correlations between warmth and investment, setting boundaries and negativity in parenting and executive functioning, and a positive relation between structure in parenting and executive functioning. There are no differences found in parenting style between mothers of premature children and mothers in the control group. Conclusion: The differences found between preterm children and the control group in executive functioning are in line with other research. But, literature suggests premature children have more problems in executive functioning than came forward in this study. Also, literature shows correlations between parenting style and executive functioning, some of which are opposite to the results of this study. Nevertheless, the findings of this study are important: problems in executive functioning can be discovered at young age, this knowledge makes early interventions possible.