ABSTRACT
This review article aims to contextualize the development of executive functions (EF) in preterm children with special attention to the effects of parental care. The main electronic databases were used for this review: 31 original studies, two meta-analyses, one meta-synthesis and two systematic reviews were identified. The results showed that preterm infants are at risk for global executive dysfunction,and that the quality of parenting impacts the development of EF, mainly in terms of interactive socio-emotional variables, like maternal sensitivity.Finally, the main limitations of the analyzed studies are pointed out, and recommendations of future research about the effects of parental care in the development of EF in preterm children are offered.
Keywords:
premature birth; executive function; childrearing practices; parent child relations; prefrontal cortex