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Longitudinal relations between maternal depressive symptoms and child sleep problems: the role of parasympathetic

Peggy S Keller1, Chrystyna D Kouros, Stephen A Erath

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|October 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Maternal depressive symptoms impact children's sleep longitudinally. Children with greater respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) withdrawal experienced less sleep, while those with less RSA withdrawal showed decreased sleep activity.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Health
  • Physiological Psychology

Background:

  • Maternal depressive symptoms (MDS) are examined as longitudinal predictors of children's sleep.
  • Children's respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity is investigated as a moderator.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and children's sleep patterns.
  • To determine if RSA moderates the association between MDS and sleep.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal study with 271 children (ages 9.38 at T1) over three waves.
  • Actigraphy was used to measure children's sleep parameters.
  • RSA reactivity was assessed during a social stress test.

Main Results:

  • MDS predicted less sleep over time in children with greater RSA withdrawal, contrary to hypotheses.
  • MDS predicted decreased sleep activity in children with less RSA withdrawal, consistent with hypotheses.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal influences are significant predictors of children's sleep.
  • Physiological regulation, specifically RSA, plays a crucial role in mediating the impact of maternal mental health on child sleep outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
Maternal depressionautonomicchildrenparasympatheticsleep

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