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Attachment representations, sleep quality and adaptive functioning in preschool age children

Brian E Vaughn1, Mona El-Sheikh, Nana Shin

  • 1Human Development & Family Studies, Auburn University, AL, USA. vaughbe@auburn.edu

Attachment & Human Development
|October 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Childhood attachment security and sleep quality are linked in preschoolers. Secure parent-child relationships correlate with better sleep organization, highlighting their intertwined influence on development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Science
  • Child Psychiatry

Background:

  • Attachment and sleep are crucial for child development and functioning.
  • Existing research on the link between attachment and sleep in children is limited and shows mixed results, primarily focusing on infancy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between attachment representations and sleep quality in preschool children.
  • To explore potential interactions between attachment and sleep in this age group.

Main Methods:

  • Attachment representations were assessed using the Attachment Story Completion Task (ASCT).
  • Sleep patterns were objectively measured using actigraphy in 34 preschool children.
  • Statistical analyses examined correlations between ASCT coherence/security and sleep indices.

Main Results:

  • A significant relationship was found between the coherence and security of child attachment narratives (ASCT) and objective sleep quality measures.
  • Specific sleep indices, including Sleep Activity, Wake Minutes after Sleep Onset, and Sleep Efficiency, were correlated with attachment security.
  • No significant mediated interactions were identified between attachment representations and sleep domains.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that parent-child relationship quality and sleep organization are interconnected in preschool-aged children.
  • While the direction of influence is undetermined, the study underscores the importance of considering both attachment and sleep as integrated biopsychosocial regulators.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the complex interplay and joint effects of attachment and sleep on child development.

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