Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between a number of anthropometric indices and behavioral development during the first 2 years of life in rural Guatemala. Length and weight were the indices most strongly correlated with behavioral development. If the effect of the infant's length and weight was statistically controlled for, none of the other anthropometric variables explained a significant proportion of the variance in behavioral development. Con- trolling for length (or weight) assessed at the same age as the behavioral assessment, length (or weight) for younger ages was not significantly correlated with behavioral development. Changes in length or weight over time were correlated with changes in behavioral performance. We were unable to explain the association between physical growth and behavioral development by a number of variables including gestational age, nutrient intake, prevalence of disease, and familial characteristics.

Disciplines

Psychology

Publisher statement

This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Blackwell Publishing for personal use, not for redistribution. This article can also be found online at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1129234.

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS
 

URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/psycd_fac/15