The aim of the present study was to assess how
regional brain volumes associate with self‐experienced social and
emotional loneliness and social competence in very preterm and term‐born
preadolescents.

Thirty‐four very preterm subjects (birthweight
≤1,500 g and/or gestational age <32 weeks) without neurodevelopmental
impairments and/or major brain pathologies and 31 term‐born subjects
underwent magnetic resonance imaging at 12 years of age. Regional brain
volumes were measured using an automated image quantification tool. At
11 years of age, social and emotional loneliness were assessed with the
Peer Network and Dyadic Loneliness Scale‐self‐report questionnaire and
cooperating skills, empathy, impulsivity, and disruptiveness with the
Multisource Assessment of Children's Social Competence Scale‐self‐report
questionnaire.

In the very preterm group, a number of significant
associations were found between smaller regional brain volumes and
self‐experienced emotional loneliness, more impulsivity and more
disruptiveness. In the control group, brain volumes and loneliness were
not associated, and brain volumes and social competence were associated
with a lesser degree than in the very preterm group.

Experiences of emotional loneliness and poorer social
competence appear to be more related to brain volumes in very preterm
preadolescents than in those born full‐term. It also appears that in
very preterm preadolescents, emotional loneliness may be more reflected
in brain development than social loneliness.