title: Maternal cognitions and depression in childhood behavioral insomnia and feeding disturbances.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate (1) maternal cognitions regarding infant's sleep and feeding and maternal depression among mothers of children with behavioral insomnia, feeding disturbances and healthy controls, and (2) the association between maternal cognitions about sleep and those about feeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children 6-36 months of age with either behavioral insomnia or feeding disorders were recruited. Children 6-36 months of age who attended the well-baby clinics were recruited and served as controls. The participants' mothers completed three questionnaires on their cognitions/perceptions of their child's sleep and feeding habits and about their own feelings of depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 230 children (31 with behavioral insomnia, 29 with feeding disorders, 170 controls) were enrolled. Their mean age was 16.1 ± 7.6 months. Maternal cognitions/perceptions about sleep (maternal cognition infant sleep questionnaire, MCISQ) did not differ significantly between the behavioral insomnia group and the feeding disorders group. The MCISQ score was significantly higher in the behavioral insomnia group compared with controls (P < .02). Mothers of children with feeding disorders reported being significantly more frustrated or anxious when they fed their child (P < .0005), less confident about their child getting enough food (P < .0005), and less confident in their ability to manage their child's behavior at mealtime (P < .02) compared to the controls. Significant positive correlations were found between the MCISQ scores and the Beck Depression Inventory scores (r = 0.29, P < .0002), and between the MCISQ scores and the maternal cognitions of their child's feeding scores (r = 0.26, P < .0002). The latter remained significant after controlling for maternal depression (r = 0.25, P < .002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mothers of children with either behavioral insomnia or feeding disorders differ significantly from mothers of controls regarding their cognitions about sleep and feeding. Maternal cognitions about infant sleep behavior correlated with their cognitions about infant feeding. Maternal cognitions are a modifiable factor that may serve as a target for intervention in both sleep and feeding disorders in children.
authors: Pediatric Sleep Center, Dana Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Tali
authors: T
authors: Golik
authors: Hadas
authors: H
authors: Avni
authors: Haim
authors: H
authors: Nehama
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Greenfeld
authors: Yakov
authors: Y
authors: Sivan
authors: Riva
authors: R
authors: Tauman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires