Prevalence, Stability, and Predictors of Clinically Significant Behavior Problems in Low Birth Weight Children at 3, 5, and 8 Years of Age

Abstract

This sample had double the prevalence of behavior problems expected in the general child population. These problems showed stability over time. Cigarette smoking in pregnancy, maternal psychological distress at 40 weeks' gestation, maternal age, and Hispanic ethnicity all were significant predictors of the development of behavior problems from ages 3 to 8. These findings have implications for health policies on smoking and postnatal depression.