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The time sensitive and dose-responsive association between parental corporal punishment and sleep disturbances in
Zijing Wang1, Yijia Tang2, Monica Ordway3
1Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Parental corporal punishment is linked to sleep disturbances in preschoolers. The risk increases with more frequent and recent punishment, highlighting the need for positive parenting to improve child sleep.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Parental corporal punishment is a prevalent disciplinary method with potential negative impacts on child development.
- Preschoolers are particularly vulnerable to the effects of harsh parenting practices on their well-being.
- Understanding the relationship between corporal punishment and sleep disturbances is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental corporal punishment and sleep disturbances in preschoolers.
- To determine if this association is time-sensitive and dose-responsive.
- To inform evidence-based parenting strategies for preventing sleep problems.
Main Methods:
- A 3-year prospective cohort study involving 19,668 preschoolers (SCHEDULE-P).
- Data collected through parent-reported surveys on corporal punishment and sleep disturbances at three waves.
- Logistic regression analysis adjusted for relevant covariates (e.g., child behavior, socioeconomic factors).
Main Results:
- Corporal punishment exposure was significantly associated with increased odds of concurrent sleep disturbances at all three waves.
- The risk of sleep disturbances at wave 3 was higher with proximal and cumulative exposure to corporal punishment.
- A dose-response and time-sensitive relationship was observed between corporal punishment and preschooler sleep issues.
Conclusions:
- A clear time-sensitive and dose-responsive link exists between corporal punishment and sleep disturbances in preschoolers.
- Proximal and cumulative exposure to corporal punishment elevates the risk of sleep disturbances.
- Promoting positive parenting and avoiding corporal punishment is recommended for preventing and managing sleep disturbances in young children.
Background:
To examine whether parental corporal punishment is associated with increased risk of concurrent and later sleep disturbances among preschoolers, and whether the association is time-sensitive or dose-responsive.
Methods:
This 3-year prospective cohort study used data from the Shanghai Children's Health, Education and Lifestyle Evaluation, Preschool(SCHEDULE-P). Participants were newly enrolled preschoolers in November 2016(wave 1) and followed up in April 2018(wave 2) and April 2019(wave 3). Parents reported the children's corporal punishment experiences and sleep disturbances at each wave survey. Children's risk of sleep disturbances in relation to corporal punishment was examined using logistic regression, adjusting for children's age, gender, emotional/behavioral problems, family annual income, and maternal educational level.
Results:
The participants of 19,668 children included 9436(47.98 %) females, with a mean age of 3.73(SD = 0.29) years at wave 1. Exposure to corporal punishment was associated with increased odds of concurrent sleep disturbances at wave 1, 2, and 3 (aOR,1.57; 95 % CI, 1.40-1.75; P < .001; aOR,1.60; 95 % CI, 1.43-1.80; P < .001; aOR,1.74; 95 % CI, 1.54-1.95; P < .001), respectively. Exposure to corporal punishment at any wave of preschool was associated with increased odds of sleep disturbances at wave 3, and the risks were greater for proximal and accumulative corporal punishment exposure.
Conclusion:
There is a time-sensitive and dose-responsive association between corporal punishment and sleep disturbance among preschoolers, with greater risk of sleep disturbances for proximal and accumulative exposure of corporal punishment. Promoting positive parenting strategies and avoiding corporal punishment can be a promising strategy to prevent and intervene sleep disturbances in preschoolers.
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