Cathi B Propper1, Kirsten McLaughlin2, Jessica Goldblum2, Marie Camerota3, Noa Gueron-Sela4, W Roger Mills-Koonce5, Nicholas J Wagner6. 1. Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Electronic address: propper@email.unc.edu. 2. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI. 4. Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. 5. School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. 6. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine caregiving predictors of maternal reported sleep problems and child behavioral and cognitive outcomes in early childhood. DESIGN: A prospective longitudinal study from 6 to 84 months of age. SETTING: Lab visits, assessments, and questionnaires conducted with a community-based sample. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty-four African American and White children, their mothers, and teachers. MEASUREMENT: Parenting behavior was measured during a free-play task at 6 months of age, maternal-report of child sleep problems was completed at 6 timepoints, and teacher report of child aggression and attention was collected in kindergarten and second grade. RESULTS: Latent growth curve modeling revealed that maternal reported sleep problems decreased in children from 18 to 84 months and harsh-intrusive parenting at 6 months predicted sleep problems at 18 months. Maternal reported sleep problems at 18 months predicted aggressive behaviors in kindergarten and second grade. CONCLUSION: Parenting at 6 months of age exerts an influence on sleep quality at 18 months which is associated with aggressive behavior in early childhood.
OBJECTIVE: To examine caregiving predictors of maternal reported sleep problems and child behavioral and cognitive outcomes in early childhood. DESIGN: A prospective longitudinal study from 6 to 84 months of age. SETTING: Lab visits, assessments, and questionnaires conducted with a community-based sample. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty-four African American and White children, their mothers, and teachers. MEASUREMENT: Parenting behavior was measured during a free-play task at 6 months of age, maternal-report of child sleep problems was completed at 6 timepoints, and teacher report of child aggression and attention was collected in kindergarten and second grade. RESULTS: Latent growth curve modeling revealed that maternal reported sleep problems decreased in children from 18 to 84 months and harsh-intrusive parenting at 6 months predicted sleep problems at 18 months. Maternal reported sleep problems at 18 months predicted aggressive behaviors in kindergarten and second grade. CONCLUSION: Parenting at 6 months of age exerts an influence on sleep quality at 18 months which is associated with aggressive behavior in early childhood.