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Association between childhood sleep problems and perinatal factors, parental mental distress and behavioral problems

Chi-Yung Shang1, Susan Shur-Fen Gau, Wei-Tsuen Soong

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Journal of Sleep Research
|February 24, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Childhood sleep problems are linked to perinatal factors and parental mental distress. Boys experience more sleep issues, which also correlate with behavioral syndromes in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry

Background:

  • Childhood sleep problems are prevalent and can impact development.
  • Understanding risk factors is crucial for early intervention.
  • The relationship between sleep, behavior, and parental factors requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the influence of age, gender, and perinatal factors on childhood sleep problems.
  • To investigate the association between childhood sleep issues and behavioral syndromes.
  • To explore the link between childhood sleep problems and parental mental distress.

Main Methods:

  • A representative sample of 1391 children (ages 4-9) was recruited using multistage sampling.
  • Parents completed questionnaires on perinatal factors, sleep, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ).
  • Mixed-effects modeling was used to analyze data, accounting for clustering effects.

Main Results:

  • Boys reported more sleep problems than girls.
  • Sleepwalking prevalence increased with age, while insomnia, sleep terrors, and enuresis decreased.
  • Perinatal exposures (alcohol, coffee, medication), delivery complications, first-born status, and higher parental CHQ scores were associated with sleep problems.
  • Children with sleep problems exhibited higher scores on behavioral syndromes from the CBCL.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood sleep problems are associated with various perinatal risk factors.
  • Parental psychopathology and children's behavioral issues are linked to sleep disturbances.
  • These findings highlight the complex interplay between sleep, development, and family environment.

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