Daily and family profiles of adolescent-mother-father perceived interparental interactions and family members' sleep: A multi-reporter multilevel study.

Abstract

Grounded in family systems theory, this study aimed to understand how adolescent-mother-father perceived interparental positivity and interparental negativity related to each family member's sleep quality and duration. Using 30-day daily reports from adolescents (Mage = 14.75, 38.3% female, 59.81% white), mothers (Magee = 41.76, 64.49% white), and fathers (Magee = 44.04, 61.68% white) in 107 U.S. families, multilevel latent profile analyses, run separately for interparental positivity and negativity, identified daily- and family-profiles of adolescent-mother-father perceptions. Results revealed 6 day-level and six family-level profiles over time of adolescent-mother-father perceived interparental positivity, and 5 day-level and five family-level profiles of interparental negativity. We identified both similar and mixed daily adolescent-mother-father perceptions, and both stable and fluctuated family patterns over time. Stable, high adolescent-mother-father perceived interparental positivity predicted better sleep outcomes, with variations across family members: mothers' sleep aligned with family's collective perception of interparental positivity, whereas adolescents' and fathers' sleep linked to mixed or lower-than-expected interparental positivity. Minimal adolescent-mother-father perceived interparental negativity was associated with the best sleep outcomes at both levels, whereas mixed daily perceptions and family fluctuation predicted everyone's poorest sleep quality. Findings highlight the importance of integrating family members' perceptions of interparental interactions at both the daily and family levels over time for studying sleep.