title: Longitudinal associations between the quality of parent-child interactions and children's sleep at preschool age.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the prospective longitudinal links between the quality of mother-child and father-child interactions and preschoolers' sleep. Three dimensions of maternal interactive behavior were considered using 70 mother-child dyads, while the quality of father-child interactions was assessed using 41 of these families. Maternal mind-mindedness was assessed at 12 months during a mother-infant free-play sequence, maternal sensitivity was rated at 12 months based on observations performed throughout a home visit, maternal autonomy support was assessed at 15 months with a 10-min problem-solving situation, and the quality of father-child interactions was scored at 18 months, during father-child free play. Children's sleep was assessed at 3 and 4 years using a sleep diary completed by mothers during 3 consecutive days. Results indicated that, after controlling for family socioeconomic status and daycare attendance, the quality of both mother-infant and father-infant interactions was positively related to children's percentage of night-time sleep at preschool age. These findings add to previous literature in suggesting that early caregiving behavior by both mothers and fathers is related to subsequent child sleep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, P.O. Box 6128 Downtown Station, Montreal QC H3C 3J7, Canada.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bordeleau
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carrier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*