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Relationships between parental sleep quality, fatigue, cognitions about infant sleep, and parental depression pre and
Wendy A Hall1, Melissa Moynihan2, Radhika Bhagat3
1University of British Columbia School of Nursing, T. 201, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada. wendy.hall@ubc.ca.
Insights
Parental depression impacts infant sleep. Behavioral sleep interventions improved parental cognitions, sleep quality, and fatigue, but parental doubts and difficulties setting sleep limits require further attention in interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Pediatrics
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Maternal and paternal depression are linked to infant behavioral sleep problems.
- Behavioral sleep interventions can improve infant sleep by modifying parental cognitions.
- This study examined the relationship between parental mental health, sleep, and cognitions regarding infant sleep.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the associations between parental depression, fatigue, sleep quality, and infant sleep cognitions.
- To evaluate these relationships before and after a behavioral sleep intervention.
- To identify specific parental cognitions that influence depression and require intervention.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of data from 455 Canadian parents with 6-to-8-month-old infants.
- Data collected at baseline and 18 or 24 weeks post-intervention (group teaching or printed materials).
- Statistical analyses included Pearson's r correlations and stepwise regression.
Main Results:
- Parental fatigue, sleep quality, and specific cognitions (doubt, anger) were associated with maternal and paternal depression at baseline and follow-up.
- Mothers' setting sleep limits was associated with decreased depression, while fathers' setting limits was linked to increased depression.
- Parental doubts about managing infant sleep and difficulties setting limits were significant factors.
Conclusions:
- Parental cognitions about infant sleep show complex associations with depression levels.
- Interventions should address parental doubts and challenges in setting sleep limits.
- Targeting these specific cognitions may enhance the effectiveness of behavioral sleep interventions.
Background:
Maternal and paternal depression has been associated with infants' behavioral sleep problems. Behavioral sleep interventions, which alter parental cognitions about infant sleep, have improved infant sleep problems. This study reports relationships between parental depression, fatigue, sleep quality, and cognitions about infant sleep pre and post-intervention for a behavioral sleep problem.
Methods:
This secondary analysis of data from Canadian parents (n = 455), with healthy infants aged 6-to-8-months exposed to a behavioral sleep intervention, examined baseline data and follow-up data from 18 or 24 weeks post intervention (group teaching or printed material) exposure. Parents reported on sleep quality, fatigue, depression, and cognitions about infant sleep. Data were analyzed using Pearson's r and stepwise regression analysis.
Results:
Parents' fatigue, sleep quality, sleep cognitions, and depression scores were correlated at baseline and follow-up. At baseline, sleep quality (b = .52, 95% CI .19-.85), fatigue (b = .48, 95% CI .33-.63), doubt about managing infant sleep (b = .44, 95% CI .19-.69), and anger about infant sleep (b = .69, 95% CI .44-.94) were associated with mothers' depression. At baseline, fathers' depression related to sleep quality (b = .42, 95% CI .01-.83), fatigue (b = .47, 95% CI .32-.63), and doubt about managing infant sleep (b = .50, 95% CI .24-.76). At follow-up, mothers' depression was associated with sleep quality (b = .76, 95% CI .41-1.12), fatigue (b = .25, 95% CI .14-.37), doubt about managing infant sleep (b = .44, 95% CI .16-.73), sleep anger (b = .31, 95% CI .02-.59), and setting sleep limits (b = -.22, 95% CI -.41-[-.03]). At follow-up, fathers' depression related to sleep quality (b = .84, 95% CI .46-1.22), fatigue (b = .31, 95% CI .17-.45), sleep doubt (b = .34, 95% CI .05-.62), and setting sleep limits (b = .25, 95% CI .01-.49).
Conclusions:
Mothers' and fathers' cognitions about infant sleep demonstrate complex relationships with their depression scores. While mothers' setting sleep limit scores are associated with decreased depression scores, fathers' setting limits scores are associated with increased depression scores. Parental doubts about managing infant sleep and difficulties with setting sleep limits require attention in interventions.