Surviving infants
from a geographically defined area were randomized to an intervention or a control
group, and compared with term infants. The intervention was a modified version
of the “Mother–Infant Transaction Program”. Regulatory competence was measured
with the Infant Behavior Questionnaire, and social communication with the Early Social
Communication Scales. Preterm intervention infants with low regulatory competence had
higher responding to joint attention than preterm control infants. A sensitizing intervention
may moderate the association between temperament and social communication, and thus
allow an alternative functional outlet for preterm infants low in regulatory competence.
The finding may have implications for conceptualizations of the role of early sensitizing
interventions in promoting important developmental outcomes for premature infants