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Children's sleep, impulsivity, and anger: shared genetic etiology and implications for developmental psychopathology

Samantha A Miadich1,2, Amanda M Shrewsbury1, Leah D Doane1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|September 14, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Genetic factors link childhood sleep problems with impulsivity and anger. These shared genetic influences may contribute to psychopathology, suggesting targeted interventions for sleep and emotional regulation are crucial.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Genetics
  • Child Psychology
  • Sleep Science

Background:

  • Poor sleep is linked to emotion regulation difficulties.
  • Impulsivity and anger/frustration are key features of child psychopathology.
  • Sleep problems are frequently associated with psychopathology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine shared and unique genetic and environmental influences on sleep, impulsivity, and anger/frustration in middle childhood.
  • To understand potential ramifications for psychopathology.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal twin study involving 613 twins (mean age 8.37 years).
  • Sleep was assessed using actigraph watches over seven days.
  • Temperament (impulsivity, anger/frustration) was measured via caregiver questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • Strong genetic influences (76%) were found for impulsivity.
  • Shared environment accounted for the largest variance in anger/frustration (56%).
  • Associations between sleep and impulsivity/anger/frustration in children are genetic, suggesting a common underlying genetic factor.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest a genetic commonality underlying sleep problems, impulsivity, and anger/frustration.
  • Understanding shared and unique risk factors is crucial for etiology of psychopathology.
  • Early interventions targeting sleep and emotional regulation may impact later psychopathology.
Abstract

Keywords:
Sleepangerimpulsivity

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