Research digest: sleep

Abstract

the normal range of serious health problems health well-being. Background: To characterize cross-cultural sleep patterns and sleep problems in a large sample of children ages birth to 36 months in multiple predominantly-Asian (P-A) and predominantly-Caucasian (P-C) countries. Methods: Parents of 29,287 infants and toddlers (predominantly-Asian countries/ regions: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam; predominantly-Caucasian countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States) completed an internet-based expanded version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Results: Overall, children from P-A countries had significantly later bedtimes, shorter total sleep times, increased parental perception of sleep problems, and were more likely to both bed-share and room-share than children from P-C countries, p < .001. Bedtimes ranged from 19:27 (New Zealand) to 22:17 (Hong Kong) and total sleep time from 11.6 (Japan) to 13.3 (New Zealand) hours, p < .0001. There were limited differences in daytime sleep. Bed-sharing with parents ranged from 5.8% in New Zealand to 83.2% in Vietnam. There was also a wide range in the percentage of parents who perceived that their child had a sleep problem (11% in Thailand to 76% in China). Conclusions: Overall, children from predominantly-Asian countries had significantly later bedtimes, shorter total sleep times, increased parental perception of sleep problems, and were more likely to room-share than children from predominantly-Caucasian countries/regions. These results indicate substantial differences in sleep patterns in young children across culturally diverse countries/regions. Further studies are needed to understand the basis for and impact of these interesting differences. Empirical findings regarding the association between child attachment and sleep have been inconsistent. The objectives of this series of meta-analyses were to assess the size of the association between child sleep and attachment and to examine whether study methodology (attachment measure, sleep measure) and age moderate this association. Sixteen studies (2783 children aged from 6 to 38 months) were included. Significant associations were found between attachment security and sleep efficiency ( r = .18) and attachment resistance and sleep problems ( r = .18). There were significant moderator effects of sleep measure and age of the child, with the size of the association between sleep and attachment security increasing with age ( R 2 analog = .67). Inconsistent findings are likely due to inter-study variabilities in methodology and to a developmental effect on the sleep-attachment association. how to regulate emotion as a function of both contextual factors and individual differences. Aim: To evaluate parental perspectives on the acceptability and usefulness of a ‘cued-care’ approach to infant sleep implemented in an Australian primary care setting. The Possums Infant Sleep Program aims to empower parents to better understand their infant’s sleep and their responses to it, and optimize healthy function of the infant’s biological sleep regulators to protect against excessive night-waking. Methods: The evaluation was undertaken by an independent infant sleep researcher, with no previous involvement in the Possums program. Parents’ experiences of the sleep intervention were captured using a mixed methods approach involving (a) group discussions of sleep issues between parents and clinic staff, (b) discussions with parents who volunteered to provide face-to-face feedback, and (c) an online survey designed in light of the information gained from a and b. A one-year audit of clinic registrations provided contextual data. Results: Sixty-four clinic clients fully (45) or partially (19) provided answers to survey questions. Respondents were primarily mothers, mean age 34, with a postgraduate qualification and high family income. Their term infants were predominantly breastfed and attended the clinic for feeding and/or sleeping difficulties across the first year of life. Almost all embraced the Possums approach, describing it as challenging and life changing. Audit data confirmed the survey sample reflected the general clinic population. Conclusions: The Possums Infant Sleep Program was acceptable to parents, and highly valued. Recipients reported reduced stress, less concern about perceived sleep problems (frequent night-waking, short-day-time naps, delayed sleep onset), and better quality of life. child risk variables predicting sleep problems. Parental presence at bedtime (risk), negative parenting style (e.g., lax or permissive parenting; risk), consistent bedtime routines (protective), and lower composite socioeconomic status (risk) were identified as family/parent variables predicting child sleep problems. No well-established predictors were found at the community level. Future research should employ advanced research designs more frequently and investigate: 1) risk pathways across development; and 2) nightly fluctuations in sleep problems. Background: Sleep problems are common in adolescence, and frequently comorbid with both anxiety and depression. Research studies have suggested a bidirectional relationship between sleep and psychopathology, which includes evidence that sleep interventions can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. However, little is known about the nature of sleep problems amongst adolescents with anxiety and depression, and whether specific sleeping difficulties are involved in the longitudinal relationship between sleep, anxiety and depression. Method: The sample was derived from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a population-based, prospective, birth cohort study of children born in 1991–1992. Data were explored from a subset of participants who took part in a clinical assessment at age 15, on self-report sleep patterns and quality, and diagnostic outcomes of anxiety and depression ( N = 5,033). Subsequent diagnostic and symptom severity data on anxiety and depression at ages 17, 21 and 24 were also examined. Results: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted to explore the relationship between sleep problems, anxiety and depression. Results revealed that adolescents aged 15 with depression experience difficulties with both sleep patterns and sleep quality, whereas adolescents with anxiety only reported problems with sleep quality. A range of sleep variables at age 15 predicted the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms and the diagnoses of anxiety and depressive disorders at age 17, 21 and 24 years. Conclusions: The results provide further insight into the nature of sleep problems amongst adolescents with anxiety and depression, and the prospective relationship between sleep disturbance and future psychopathology. These data suggest that targeting sleep difficulties during adolescence may have long-term mental health benefits. In the United States, more than two-thirds of adolescents and one-third of emerging adults report habitual short sleep duration, which is a known risk factor for psychological distress. The primary aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of behavioral sleep-promoting interventions on the sleep characteristics (e.g., total sleep time and sleep efficiency) of adolescents and emerging adults (aged 12–25 y) who do not have a sleep disorder. The secondary aim was to determine the effect of behavioral sleep-promoting interventions on psychological distress. Multiple electronic databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English. Fourteen RCTs were included in the qualitative synthesis (N = 932), seven were included in the meta-analysis (n = 711) to address the primary aim, and three (n = 253) were included to address the secondary aim. The pooled standardized mean difference for sleep-promoting interventions after treatment for total sleep time was 34.92 min (95% CI: 8.70, 61.14). Sleep-promoting interventions had no significant effect on sleep efficiency. More RCTs that involve adolescents and emerging adults are needed to determine the effect of sleep-promoting interventions on reducing psychological distress in this high-risk age group.