BACKGROUND Survival of preterm very low birthweight infants resulted in high risk for developmental cognitive deficits, poor academic achievement, and behaviour disorders. While numerous studies evaluated the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disability in early childhood, poor literature is available for infants born very low birthweight in adulthood. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fifty-five young adults born preterm (mean age: 18 ± 2.42 years; <33 weeks of gestational age and/or with birth weight <1500 g) were enrolled. The Verbal Intelligence Quotient (vIQ), Performance Intelligence Quotient (pIQ) and Total Intelligence Quotient (tIQ) were assessed through the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised (WAIS-R). Personality profiles were investigated using Rorschach test. Both WAIS-R and Rorschach scores were subsequently compared to 13 matched controls born at term. Data were analysed with the SPSS v20 for Windows statistical package. RESULTS Young adults born preterm showed lower IQ scores than young adults born at term: tIQ 90.95 ± 22.46 versus 108.77 ± 16.14, p = 0.006; vIQ 89.85 ± 21.85 versus 107.69 ± 18.33, p = 0.009, and pIQ 92.40 ± 22.90 versus 108.31 ± 14.52, p = 0.011. No differences emerged in personality profile as most subjects showed adequate internal resources in both groups, but a trend towards anxiety and insecurity were identified in young adult born preterm. CONCLUSIONS Young adults born preterm show psychological fragility and lower cognitive pattern than young adults born at term. Data support the need of an early psychological intervention that could help these individuals at greater risk to face a young society that is changing and that necessarily requires stronger internal resources.

中文翻译：

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早产青年的人格、情感和认知功能

背景 极低出生体重早产儿的存活导致发育性认知缺陷、学业成绩差和行为障碍的高风险。虽然许多研究评估了儿童早期神经发育障碍的患病率，但关于成年出生体重极低的婴儿的文献很少。材料和方法 55 名早产青年（平均年龄：18 ± 2.42 岁；<33 周胎龄和/或出生体重<1500 g）被纳入研究。言语智商 (vIQ)、表现智商 (pIQ) 和总智商 (tIQ) 通过韦克斯勒成人智力量表 - 修订版 (WAIS-R) 进行评估。使用 Rorschach 测试调查人格特征。随后将 WAIS-R 和 Rorschach 分数与 13 名足月出生的匹配对照进行比较。数据使用 SPSS v20 for Windows 统计软件包进行分析。结果 早产的年轻人比足月出生的年轻人表现出更低的 IQ 分数：tIQ 90.95 ± 22.46 与 108.77 ± 16.14，p = 0.006；vIQ 89.85 ± 21.85 与 107.69 ± 18.33，p = 0.009，以及 pIQ 92.40 ± 22.90 与 108.31 ± 14.52，p = 0.011。由于大多数受试者在两组中都表现出足够的内部资源，因此性格特征没有出现差异，但在早产的年轻成人中发现了焦虑和不安全感的趋势。结论 与足月出生的年轻人相比，早产的年轻人表现出心理脆弱性和较低的认知模式。