Maternal Sensitivity and Children’s Sleep Problems Across Early Childhood

Up to 25% of children experience sleep problems. Transactional sleep models suggest bidirectional associations between parenting and children’s sleep problems. The current study aims to clarify the temporal associations between maternal sensitivity and children’s sleep problems across early childhood. This study includes 942 mother-child dyads from the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort. Observed maternal sensitivity was coded using the Ainsworth’s rating scales (child age 1.5 years) and the revised Erickson rating scales (child ages 3 and 4 years). Caregivers reported children’s sleep problems on the Child Behavior Checklist at child ages 1.5, 3, and 6 years. Cross-lagged panel modelling showed that higher levels of maternal sensitivity at child age 3 years were associated with fewer sleep problems at child age 6 years; no other associations were found. Findings of the current study indicate an association of parenting with children’s sleep across early childhood, no evidence was found for a bidirectional association.