Psychiatric News (12/4) reports a study found that “children born extremely premature demonstrate increasing levels of autistic social traits (ASTs) from ages 10 to 17 – with no differences between sexes.” The research team “evaluated AST scores for 527 extremely premature youth (52% female) at ages 10 and 17 using the parent-reported Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). SRS scores increased an average of 19 raw points between the two assessments, pushing standardized SRS scores from the ‘normal’ range at age 10 to ‘mild concern’ at age 17.” They noted that “nearly 70% of youth exhibited significant increases in ASTs between 10 and 17, while just 8% saw decreasing ASTs. At age 17, youth who experienced greater increases in ASTs reported worse self-esteem and overall health.” The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Youth Born Extremely Premature Show Increasing Signs of Autistic Social Traits Over Time, Psychiatric News, December 4, 2025