Emotional expressiveness of 5–6 month-old infants born very premature versus full-term at initial exposure to weaning foods

2016

International audience; Facial expressions of 5-6 month-old infants born preterm and at term were compared while tasting for the first time solid foods (two fruit and two vegetable purees) given by the mother. Videotapes of facial reactions to these foods were objectively coded during the first six successive spoons of each test food using Baby FACS and subjectively rated by naive judges. Infant temperament was also assessed by the parents using the Infant Behaviour Questionnaire. Contrary to our expectations, infants born preterm expressed fewer negative emotions than infants born full-term. Naive judges rated infants born preterm as displaying more liking than their full-term counterparts…