BACKGROUND: We used a multi-method and multi-informant design to identify developmental pathways through which parental depressive symptoms contribute to children's sleep problems. Environmental factors including adult inter-partner conflict and parent-child conflict were considered as process variables of this relation. METHODS: An ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of children (n = 268) participated (M age = 9.44 years, SD = 8.61 months). Children wore actigraphs for 7 consecutive nights and also reported on their sleep problems. RESULTS: Higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms were associated with children's sleep/wake problems. Higher levels of paternal depressive symptoms were associated with shorter time in bed and fewer sleep minutes. Inter-partner conflict and parent-child conflict were mechanisms of effects in the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and children's actigraphy-based and self-reported sleep problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings build on this scant literature and highlight the importance of identifying pathways of risk and familial and environmental influences on children's sleep problems.
BACKGROUND: We used a multi-method and multi-informant design to identify developmental pathways through which parental depressive symptoms contribute to children's sleep problems. Environmental factors including adult inter-partner conflict and parent-child conflict were considered as process variables of this relation. METHODS: An ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of children (n = 268) participated (M age = 9.44 years, SD = 8.61 months). Children wore actigraphs for 7 consecutive nights and also reported on their sleep problems. RESULTS: Higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms were associated with children's sleep/wake problems. Higher levels of paternal depressive symptoms were associated with shorter time in bed and fewer sleep minutes. Inter-partner conflict and parent-child conflict were mechanisms of effects in the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and children's actigraphy-based and self-reported sleep problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings build on this scant literature and highlight the importance of identifying pathways of risk and familial and environmental influences on children's sleep problems.
Authors: Amy R Wolfson; Mary A Carskadon; Christine Acebo; Ronald Seifer; Gahan Fallone; Susan E Labyak; Jennifer L Martin Journal: Sleep Date: 2003-03-15 Impact factor: 5.849
Authors: Peggy S Keller; Chrystyna D Kouros; Stephen A Erath; Ronald E Dahl; Mona El-Sheikh Journal: J Child Psychol Psychiatry Date: 2013-10-09 Impact factor: 8.982
Authors: Desiree M de Jong; Amanda Cremone; Laura B F Kurdziel; Phillip Desrochers; Monique K LeBourgeois; Aline Sayer; Karen Ertel; Rebecca M C Spencer Journal: J Pediatr Psychol Date: 2016-03-19