A FEMALE ADVANTAGE IN COGNITIVE RECOVERY FROM EARLY CEREBRAL INSULT

Gender differences in cognitive outcome were examined in children born prematurely who had incurred early cerebral lesions and in a high-ris k comparison group. The boys and girls, who had suffered perinatal int racranial hemorrhage-the most common neurological insult in the preter m infant-were similar in their antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal cou rse, as well as in their socio-familial attributes. After statistical adjustment to account for the extent of the insult, a significant gend er difference in cognitive recovery was observed in the lesion group. Girls outperformed boys by about half a standard deviation on standard ized intelligence tests. No gender differences were observed in the co mparison group. The implications of the results for theories and empir ical findings on gender differences in vulnerability to deviation from normal development are discussed.