Early childhood profiles of sleep problems and self‐regulation predict later school adjustment

Williams, Kate E.; Nicholson, Jan M.; Walker, Sue; Berthelsen, Donna

doi:10.1111/bjep.12109

Cited by 78 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 102 publications

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“…In view of the fact that self‐regulation is defined as one of the main dimensions of temperament (Calkins & Degnan, ; Eisenberg, ; Kochanska, Murray, & Harlan, ; Posner & Rothbarth, ; Rothbarth & Gartstein, ), this premise can also be supported by a large number of studies showing the direct or indirect links of temperament with sleep problems in infancy and early childhood (Reid et al, ; Sadeh, ; Scher et al, ; Troxel et al, ). Also, recent studies of Williams et al (, 2017) highlight the developmental relatedness of sleep problems and self‐regulation in early childhood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Secondly, a range of regulatory processes is quickly developing at this age, and the main self‐regulatory skills are acquired by the end of preschool age (Bronson, ; Kopp, , ; Rothbarth, Sheese, Rueda, & Posner, ; Staples et al, ). As self‐regulation is considered to be a central factor in children's sleep (Papoušek, ; Williams, Nicholson, Walker, & Berthelsen, ), there is a necessity for a profound analysis of developmental changes in both sleep and self‐regulation in early childhood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Preschoolers' self‐regulation and developmental trajectories of sleep problems in early childhood

Jusienė

Breidokienė

2019

Infant and Child Development

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Present study explores developmental trajectories of sleep problems and its associations with self‐regulation. Sleep problems, emotional, and behavioural problems were reported by mothers of 128 children aged 2 and 4 years, and children's self‐regulatory abilities were laboratory tested with “hot” (e.g., delay of gratification) and “cool” (e.g., cognitive control and anticipation) tasks at age 4. Two latent class mixture models for trajectories of sleep problems were built with separately incorporated “hot” and “cool” self‐regulation as the distal variables. In both models, nearly two thirds of children developed a stable low sleep problems trajectory, while 19.5% with distal variable of “hot” self‐regulation and 32% with distal variable of “cool” self‐regulation displayed a decreasing sleep problems trajectory. These children scored highly on emotional and behavioural problems and moderately on inhibitory control. With regard to “hot” self‐regulation as a distal variable, 17% of children had very low self‐regulatory abilities and high scores on emotional and behavioural problems yet remained good sleepers at preschool age. Conversely, with regard to “cool” self‐regulation, 14% of children displayed an increasing sleep problems trajectory. They scored high on emotional and behavioural problems at age 4 and obtained the highest scores on “cool” self‐regulation and medium scores on “hot” self‐regulation. To conclude, hot and cool systems of self‐regulation could provide distinct interactional effects with sleep problems throughout early childhood. Highlights The study analyzes mother‐reported sleep problems trajectories from toddlerhood to preschool age and preschoolers' laboratory tested self‐regulation. High cognitive inhibitory control is linked with increasing sleep problems, and low affective inhibitory control is related with medium or decreasing sleep problems in considerable number of children. Parents and clinicians should help young children with high cognitive control and anticipation cope with anxious thoughts, especially before bedtime.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preschoolers' self‐regulation and developmental trajectories of sleep problems in early childhood

Jusienė

Breidokienė

2019

Infant and Child Development

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“…Early childhood behavioral sleep problems have been linked with poorer attentional regulation (Williams and Sciberras, 2016; Williams et al, 2017) and executive function development over time (Bernier et al, 2013); and also poorer academic functioning (Quach et al, 2009). A recent analysis found that at 4–5 years, children with unresolved behavioral sleep problems, combined with above average levels of emotional dysregulation and poor attention were at higher risk for poor school adjustment (Williams et al, 2016a). Taken together, these findings suggest a link between these early problem behaviors and self-regulation and executive function development over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Executive Function in Adolescence: Associations with Child and Family Risk Factors and Self-Regulation in Early Childhood

et al. 2017

Self Cite

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Executive functions are important higher-order cognitive skills for goal-directed thought and action. These capacities contribute to successful school achievement and lifelong wellbeing. The importance of executive functions to children’s education begins in early childhood and continues throughout development. This study explores contributions of child and family factors in early childhood to the development of executive function in adolescence. Analyses draw on data from the nationally representative study, Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Participants are 4819 children in the Kindergarten Cohort who were recruited at age 4–5 years. Path analyses were employed to examine contributions of early childhood factors, including family socio-economic position (SEP), parenting behaviors, maternal mental health, and a child behavioral risk index, to the development of executive function in adolescence. The influence of children’s early self-regulatory behaviors (attentional regulation at 4–5 years and approaches to learning at 6–7 years) were also taken into account. A composite score for the outcome measure of executive function was constructed from scores on three Cogstate computerized tasks for assessing cognition and measured visual attention, visual working memory, and spatial problem-solving. Covariates included child gender, age at assessment of executive function, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, speaking a language other than English at home, and child’s receptive vocabulary skills. There were significant indirect effects involving child and family risk factors measured at 4–5 years on executive function at age 14–15 years, mediated by measures of self-regulatory behavior. Child behavioral risk, family SEP and parenting behaviors (anger, warmth, and consistency) were associated with attentional regulation at 4–5 years which, in turn, was significantly associated with approaches to learning at 6–7 years. Both attentional regulation and approaches to learning were directly associated with executive functioning at 14–15 years. These findings suggest that children’s early self-regulatory capacities are the basis for later development of executive function in adolescence when capabilities for planning and problem-solving are important to achieving educational goals.

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“…49 In a longitudinal study of children’s sleep habits and developmental outcomes, children with ongoing sleep problems in childhood were rated by teachers as more hyperactive, emotionally unsettled and disorganised, and as having poorer social skills 2–3 years later, suggesting that sleep problems influence brain development over time in a manner that interferes with self-regulation skills and broadly impacts wellbeing. 47, 48 Questions regarding sleep, affect, pain and functional outcomes therefore have developmental considerations, and the sleep-sensitive nature of children’s developing regulatory capacities suggests that affect may play an even more profound role in the sleep-pain relationship in children than in adults.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep Quality, Affect, Pain, and Disability in Children With Chronic Pain: Is Affect a Mediator or Moderator?

Evans

Djilas

Seidman

et al. 2017

The Journal of Pain

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Sleep problems have been identified as a potential antecedent of chronic pain and pain-related disability in pediatric populations. In adult studies, affect has been implicated in these relationships. This study sought to better understand the relationships between sleep quality, negative and positive affect and pain and functioning in children with chronic pain. Participants included 213 children and adolescents (aged 7–17) presenting to a tertiary pain clinic with chronic pain. Children completed questionnaires measuring sleep quality, positive and negative affect, pain intensity, and functional disability. Results indicated that 74% of children reported disordered sleeping and that poor sleep quality was significantly associated with increased pain, disability, negative affect, and decreased positive affect. Our hypotheses were partially supported, with negative affect (but not positive affect) mediating the relationship between poor sleep and increased pain; and both positive and negative affect mediating the relationship between poor sleep and increased functional disability. There was no evidence for affect as a moderator. This study adds to the growing literature demonstrating the impact of poor sleep quality on children’s pain and functioning, highlighting the need to develop further longitudinal research to confirm the causal roles of these variables.

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Early childhood profiles of sleep problems and self‐regulation predict later school adjustment

Abstract: Early childhood profiles of self-regulation that include sleep problems offer a way to identify children at risk of poor school adjustment. Children with escalating early childhood sleep problems should be considered an important target group for school transition interventions.

Cited by 78 publications

References 102 publications

Preschoolers' self‐regulation and developmental trajectories of sleep problems in early childhood

Preschoolers' self‐regulation and developmental trajectories of sleep problems in early childhood

Executive Function in Adolescence: Associations with Child and Family Risk Factors and Self-Regulation in Early Childhood

Sleep Quality, Affect, Pain, and Disability in Children With Chronic Pain: Is Affect a Mediator or Moderator?

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