Neonatal State Profiles: Reliability and Short-Term Prediction of Neurobehavioral Status

Observations were made on 40 newborns prior to hospital discharge in which states were scored every 10 sec in two 35-70-min periods separated by 6-48 hours. Newborns' states, particularly sleep states and crying, were fairly reliable across observation sessions. Cluster analyses identified 3 separable state profiles that subsequently differentiated infants on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale with Kansas Supplements (NBAS-K) at 2 weeks of age. Additionally, state observations and NBAS-K exams showed significant agreement on individual differences in neurologically based measures, such as startles, tremulousness, and lability of state.