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Internalizing symptoms and sleep disturbances associated with sleep bruxism in preschoolers

Christine Laganière1, Nelly Huynh2, Samantha Kenny3

  • 1Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Ouest-de-l'Ile-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Hôpital en Santé Mentale Rivière-des-Prairies, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Nord-de-l'Ile-de-Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Sleep Medicine
|May 12, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Frequent sleep bruxism (SB) in preschoolers may signal anxiety and depression. This finding highlights the importance of assessing internalizing symptoms in young children with SB, particularly those with sleep anxiety or bedtime resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Sleep bruxism (SB) is linked to internalizing symptoms and sleep issues in older children.
  • Early developmental manifestations of SB suggest a need for research in younger populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between sleep bruxism frequency and internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depression) in preschoolers.
  • To examine the relationship between sleep bruxism frequency and sleep disturbances in preschoolers.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal study of 340 mother-child dyads.
  • Mothers completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire at ages four and five.
  • Generalized estimating equation models analyzed associations, controlling for covariates like socioeconomic status and maternal depression.

Main Results:

  • Higher frequency of possible sleep bruxism correlated with increased anxiety and depressive symptoms in preschoolers.
  • Frequent possible SB was associated with greater sleep anxiety and bedtime resistance.
  • No significant association was found between frequent SB and sleep onset delay, sleep duration, or night wakings.

Conclusions:

  • Frequent sleep bruxism in preschoolers may indicate underlying anxiety and depressive difficulties.
  • Clinicians should consider further assessment for anxiety and depression in preschoolers exhibiting frequent SB, especially with co-occurring bedtime resistance or sleep anxiety.
Abstract

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