Michio Takahashi1, Guanghai Wang2, Masaki Adachi3, Fan Jiang4, Yanrui Jiang4, Manabu Saito5, Kazuhiko Nakamura6. 1. Research Center for Child Mental Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. Electronic address: takahashi.psy@gmail.com. 2. Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Shanghai, China; School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: wang-guanghai@163.com. 3. Research Center for Child Mental Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. 4. Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Pediatric Translational Medicine Institute, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Shanghai, China. 5. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan. 6. Research Center for Child Mental Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have performed cross-cultural comparisons of differences in childhood sleep problems between Asian and Western countries. However, whether such differences can be observed among Asian countries remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate differences in the pattern of sleep problems between Japanese and Chinese preschoolers. METHODS: Data were collected from one city in Japan and 10 cities in China. The present study recruited 438 Japanese and 1020 Chinese preschoolers aged four and five years. Sleep problems and patterns were assessed on the basis of parental reports using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). RESULTS: Analysis of covariance revealed no significant difference in total CSHQ scores between Japanese and Chinese preschoolers, thus indicating that the total severity of sleep problems did not differ between the groups. Japanese preschoolers exhibited higher scores on the bedtime resistance subscale of the CSHQ than Chinese preschoolers. Conversely, Chinese preschoolers exhibited higher subscale scores for night wakings and sleep-disordered breathing. In addition, Japanese preschoolers exhibited earlier bedtimes and wake times and shorter total sleep times than Chinese preschoolers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the patterns of sleep problems in preschoolers differ between Japan and China and that such differences may be due to differences in cosleeping practices, bedtime routines, and/or environmental conditions. Thus, investigators studying sleep in preschoolers should consider regional differences in the pattern of sleep problems, even among Asian countries.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have performed cross-cultural comparisons of differences in childhood sleep problems between Asian and Western countries. However, whether such differences can be observed among Asian countries remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate differences in the pattern of sleep problems between Japanese and Chinese preschoolers. METHODS: Data were collected from one city in Japan and 10 cities in China. The present study recruited 438 Japanese and 1020 Chinese preschoolers aged four and five years. Sleep problems and patterns were assessed on the basis of parental reports using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). RESULTS: Analysis of covariance revealed no significant difference in total CSHQ scores between Japanese and Chinese preschoolers, thus indicating that the total severity of sleep problems did not differ between the groups. Japanese preschoolers exhibited higher scores on the bedtime resistance subscale of the CSHQ than Chinese preschoolers. Conversely, Chinese preschoolers exhibited higher subscale scores for night wakings and sleep-disordered breathing. In addition, Japanese preschoolers exhibited earlier bedtimes and wake times and shorter total sleep times than Chinese preschoolers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the patterns of sleep problems in preschoolers differ between Japan and China and that such differences may be due to differences in cosleeping practices, bedtime routines, and/or environmental conditions. Thus, investigators studying sleep in preschoolers should consider regional differences in the pattern of sleep problems, even among Asian countries.
Authors: Jiajun Lyu; Haifeng Li; Lei Wang; John A Groeger; Anna L Barnett; Jiajia Zhang; Wenchong Du; Jing Hua Journal: BMC Med Date: 2022-08-08 Impact factor: 11.150