Aim

Prematurity
has been shown to affect social competence in children and adults. Our aim was
to evaluate profiles of self‐reported social behaviours and
loneliness in preterm‐ and term‐born
adolescents.

Methods

Preterm
(≤1500 g and, or, <32 gestational weeks)‐ and term‐born infants
were recruited in Turku University Hospital from 2001 to 2006. The Multisource
Assessment of Children's Social Competence Scale and the Peer Network and
Dyadic Loneliness Scale were completed at the age of 11. Profiles of social
competence and loneliness were labelled as low, average or high.

Results

A total of
172 preterm‐born and 134 term‐born
adolescents returned the questionnaires. Most frequently, preterm adolescents
reported a profile of average social competence and average levels of
loneliness. Preterm‐born boys reported a profile of low
social functioning less often (preterm‐born 36% vs. term‐born 54%),
and preterm‐born girls reported a profile of high social
functioning less frequently (preterm‐born 26% vs. term‐born 37%)
than same‐sex controls. Sex differences in social functioning
profiles were smaller in preterm than term‐born
adolescents.

Conclusion

The majority
of young adolescents born preterm reported a high or average social functioning
profile irrespective of sex. Prematurity seems to level out differences between
the sexes.