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Intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with night waking in 9-month-old infants

Cheryl W DeLeon1, Katherine Hildebrandt Karraker

  • 1Purdue University North Central, Westville, IN, United States.

Infant Behavior & Development
|April 10, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Infant night waking is linked to daytime distress and parental behaviors like co-sleeping. Combining these intrinsic and extrinsic factors better predicts waking than either alone, offering parenting insights.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Pediatric Sleep Science
  • Child Behavioral Studies

Background:

  • Infant night waking is a common concern for parents.
  • Understanding factors influencing infant sleep is crucial for well-being.
  • Previous research has explored various contributing elements to sleep disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between infant night waking and intrinsic factors (behavioral/emotional regulation).
  • To examine the association between infant night waking and extrinsic factors (parental behaviors).
  • To determine if a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors better predicts infant night waking.

Main Methods:

  • Study involved 41 infants and their mothers.
  • Mothers completed questionnaires regarding infant behavior and parental practices.
  • An infant sleep and crying diary was maintained by mothers.

Main Results:

  • Increased time awake at night correlated with separation distress, daytime crying, dysregulation, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, and being put to bed asleep.
  • More frequent night waking was associated with separation distress, daytime crying, co-sleeping, and breastfeeding.
  • The combined influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors provided a stronger prediction of night waking compared to factors from a single category.

Conclusions:

  • Both infant's intrinsic regulatory behaviors and parental extrinsic practices significantly influence night waking.
  • A holistic approach considering both child and parent factors is essential for addressing infant night waking.
  • Findings offer practical implications for parenting strategies aimed at improving infant sleep patterns.

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