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Early Childhood Sleep Disturbances Associated With Later Mental Health Symptoms Among Children in Foster Care

Nikki Lane1,2, Sierra Singleton1,2, Lucyann Atkins1,2

  • 1Department of Child & Family Development, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.

Child Maltreatment
|June 2, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Early sleep disturbances in foster care children are linked to later emotional and behavioral problems. Addressing sleep issues early is crucial for healthy development in these vulnerable children.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Sleep is critical for early childhood development.
  • Children in foster care face heightened risks for sleep disturbances.
  • Sleep problems in early childhood can lead to later emotional and behavioral difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the longitudinal association between early sleep disturbances and subsequent internalizing and externalizing symptoms.
  • To examine the impact of sleep problems on mental health in young children in foster care.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study design with 133 caregiver-child dyads.
  • Assessments conducted when children were approximately 25 and 48 months old.
  • Sleep measured via caregiver reports; mental health assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).

Main Results:

  • A significant association was found between early sleep disturbances and later internalizing symptoms.
  • Early sleep disturbances also predicted later externalizing symptoms in foster care children.
  • Cross-lagged panel modeling confirmed the predictive relationship.

Conclusions:

  • Early sleep disturbances have a lasting impact on the emotional development of children in foster care.
  • Early identification and intervention for sleep problems are essential for promoting positive developmental outcomes.
  • Targeting sleep disturbances may mitigate later mental health challenges in this population.

Keywords:
externalizing behaviorsfoster careinternalizing behaviorssleep disturbances

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