title: Sleep disruptions and emotional insecurity are pathways of risk for children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sleep problems are prevalent in American children. A critical need is to identify sources and processes related to sleep disruptions and their sequelae. We examined a model linking parental marital conflict and children's emotional insecurity, sleep disruptions, and their adjustment and academic problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty-six elementary school children reported on marital conflict and their emotional insecurity, the quantity and quality of children's sleep were examined through actigraphy, and parents and teachers reported on child functioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the context of exposure to normative levels of marital conflict, children's emotional insecurity regarding their parents' marital relationship is an intervening variable in the marital conflict-sleep disruptions link. In turn, disruptions in the quality and duration of children's sleep have a negative effect on children's behavioral, emotional, and academic performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings highlight the importance of marital conflict and children's emotional insecurity as variables that can affect a fundamental aspect of biological regulation, sleep, which consequently influences children's adjustment and academic performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA. elshemm@auburn.edu
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Sheikh
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buckhalt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mark Cummings
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000339:Affect; D002648:Child; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires