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Published on: October 2, 2019

Preschoolers' sleep behaviour: associations with parental hardiness, sleep-related cognitions and bedtime

Nikki Johnson1, Catherine McMahon

  • 1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Australia.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|July 5, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Parenting styles significantly impact childhood sleep. Low parental hardiness, negative sleep cognitions, and excessive bedtime interactions predict sleep problems in young children, highlighting areas for intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Childhood sleep problems are common and linked to emotional, cognitive, and behavioral issues.
  • Parenting styles and self-regulation promotion are crucial for children's sleep.
  • A model examining parental hardiness, cognitions, bedtime interactions, and child sleep was investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test a unique model of childhood sleep problems.
  • To identify parental factors influencing child sleep behavior.
  • To explore the interplay between parental hardiness, cognitions, interactions, and child sleep.

Main Methods:

  • 110 parents of preschool-aged children completed surveys on hardiness, sleep cognitions, and bedtime interactions.
  • Child sleep behavior and temperament were assessed via parent, secondary caregiver, and teacher reports.
  • Regression analyses and structural equation modeling were employed.

Main Results:

  • 37% of children in the sample experienced sleep problems.
  • Low parental hardiness, problematic sleep cognitions, and numerous bedtime interactions predicted child sleep problems.
  • These findings held true even after accounting for child temperament.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides a theoretical model explaining childhood sleep problems.
  • Parental factors significantly contribute to and maintain sleep issues in children.
  • The model's findings can inform clinical interventions for authoritative parenting and improved sleep.
Abstract

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