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Published on: October 11, 2018
Parenting and maternal reported child sleep problems in infancy predict school-age aggression and inattention
Cathi B Propper1, Kirsten McLaughlin2, Jessica Goldblum2
1Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Objective:
To examine caregiving predictors of maternal reported sleep problems and child behavioral and cognitive outcomes in early childhood.
Design:
A prospective longitudinal study from 6 to 84 months of age.
Setting:
Lab visits, assessments, and questionnaires conducted with a community-based sample.
Participants:
One hundred sixty-four African American and White children, their mothers, and teachers.
Measurement:
Parenting behavior was measured during a free-play task at 6 months of age, maternal-report of child sleep problems was completed at 6 timepoints, and teacher report of child aggression and attention was collected in kindergarten and second grade.
Results:
Latent growth curve modeling revealed that maternal reported sleep problems decreased in children from 18 to 84 months and harsh-intrusive parenting at 6 months predicted sleep problems at 18 months. Maternal reported sleep problems at 18 months predicted aggressive behaviors in kindergarten and second grade.
Conclusion:
Parenting at 6 months of age exerts an influence on sleep quality at 18 months which is associated with aggressive behavior in early childhood.
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