Haptic perception and the psychosocial functioning of preterm, low birth weight infants

Infants born prematurely are often deprived of normative haptic experiences in utero and during their first few months of life. However, the neural mechanisms and pathways associated with haptic perceptions are the first to develop and the most mature of the sensory systems available to the premature infant at birth. As a result, haptic experience may be particularly salient to these infants and influence their psychosocial development in unique ways. Research to date suggests that the preterm, low birth weight infant's exposure to stimulating touch in the early months of life may improve neuropsychological outcomes and exposure to complex touch has been linked to greater adaptive self sufficiency at age two. Affective touch involving pleasurable, comforting sensations has been associated with fewer emotional and behavioral problems for these children and with greater security of attachment, but only for more robust preterm children. Harsh touch causing pain or distress is linked to more emotional and behavioral problems as well as to less adaptive, self-sufficient behavior. Frequent or supplemental touch has been related to better neuropsychological development, both mental and psychomotor abilities. However, frequent touch also predicts increased behavioral and emotional problems for preterm children, especially for children who are more fragile in their early months. Studies suggest that the infant's degree of tactile vulnerability may interact with actual haptic experience to influence resulting perceptions of touch. These differential haptic perceptions predict psychosocial outcomes and whether various dimensions of touch facilitate or inhibit the preterm infants' psychosocial functioning. Haptic perceptions also influence and interact with other sensory perceptions to influence infant outcomes.