ABSTRACT

Family processes during the pre-bedtime period likely have a crucial influence on toddler sleep, but relatively little previous research has focused on family process in this context. The current study examined several aspects of family process during the pre-bedtime period, including the use of bedtime routines, the qualities of the child’s home sleep environment, and the promotion of child emotional security, in families of 30-month-old toddlers (N= 546; 265 female) who were part of a multi-site longitudinal study of toddler development. These characteristics were quantified using a combination of parent- and observer-reports and examined in association with child sleep using correlation and multiple regression. Child sleep was assessed using actigraphy to measure sleep duration, timing, variability, activity, and latency. Bedtime routines were examined using parents’ daily records. Home sleep environment and emotional security induction were quantified based on observer ratings and in-home observation notes, respectively. All three measures of pre-bedtime context (i.e., bedtime routine inconsistency, poor quality sleep environments, and emotional security induction) were correlated with various aspects of child sleep (significant correlations:.11-.22). The most robust associations occurred between the pre-bedtime context measures and sleep timing (i.e., the timing of the child’s sleep schedule) and variability (i.e., night to night variability in sleep timing and duration). Pre-bedtime variables, including bedtime routine consistency, home sleep environment quality, and positive emotional security induction, also mediated the association between family socioeconomic status and child sleep. Our findings underscore the value of considering family context when examining individual differences in child sleep.

摘要

睡前阶段的家庭过程可能对幼儿睡眠产生至关重要的影响，但在此背景下，之前的研究关注家庭过程的相对较少。目前的研究在 30 个月大的幼儿的家庭中检查了睡前阶段家庭过程的几个方面，包括睡前常规的使用、儿童家庭睡眠环境的质量以及儿童情绪安全的促进。ñ= 546; 265 名女性）参与了一项关于幼儿发育的多地点纵向研究。使用父母报告和观察者报告的组合对这些特征进行量化，并使用相关性和多元回归检查与儿童睡眠相关的情况。使用活动记录仪评估儿童睡眠，以测量睡眠持续时间、时间、可变性、活动和潜伏期。使用父母的日常记录检查就寝时间。家庭睡眠环境和情绪安全感应分别根据观察者评级和家庭观察记录进行量化。睡前环境的所有三个测量值（即睡前常规不一致、睡眠质量差和情绪安全诱导）都与儿童睡眠的各个方面相关（显着相关性：.11-.22）。睡前环境测量与睡眠时间（即儿童睡眠时间表的时间）和变异性（即睡眠时间和持续时间的夜间变异性）之间的关联最为强烈。睡前变量，包括睡前常规一致性、家庭睡眠环境质量和积极的情绪安全诱导，也调节了家庭社会经济地位与儿童睡眠之间的关联。我们的研究结果强调了在检查儿童睡眠的个体差异时考虑家庭背景的价值。和积极的情绪安全诱导，也介导了家庭社会经济地位与儿童睡眠之间的关联。我们的研究结果强调了在检查儿童睡眠的个体差异时考虑家庭背景的价值。和积极的情绪安全诱导，也介导了家庭社会经济地位与儿童睡眠之间的关联。我们的研究结果强调了在检查儿童睡眠的个体差异时考虑家庭背景的价值。