Sleep Problems in Children of Affectively Ill Mothers

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine whether the frequency and severity of sleep problems were greater in children of affectively ill mothers than in children of control mothers. Sleep problems were studied in children of mothers with a diagnosis of unipolar (N = 38) and bipolar (N = 23) affective illness and children of mothers with no current or past psychiatric diagnosis (N = 24). Mothers' reports on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were obtained three times, 4 years apart, on sibling pairs (ages 1.5-3.5 and 5-8 years, respectively, at first assessment). In addition, on the third assessment, the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents was filled out by mothers and children. In both siblings, sleep problems, as assessed through the CBCL, were more frequent and severe in children of affectively ill mothers. In younger siblings, the persistence of sleep problems was more frequent in children of affectively ill mothers. Co-occurrence of sleep problems among siblings was more frequent in children of affectively ill mothers than in those of control mothers.

The Ecology of Bipolar Disorder: The Importance of Sleep

“…On the other hand, if bipolar disorder families share similar sleep anomalies as reported by Lauer and colleagues (1995), then additional forms of sleep disturbance might also be elicited and perpetuated in children by the resulting disruptive environment at night (Hammen, Gordon, Burge, Adrian, Jaenicke, & Hiroto, 1987;Stoleru, Nottelmann, Belmont, & Ronsaville, 1997). Further, when social expectations regarding work/school performance or family role expectations are not met, the deviant individual will incur significant stress on many fronts.…”

Prospective Longitudinal Associations Between Persistent Sleep Problems in Childhood and Anxiety and Depression Disorders in Adulthood

“…Other studies using different definitions of sleep problems and different age groups have found parallel associations (Gregory, Eley, O'Connor, & Plomin, 2004;Wong, Brower, Fitzgerald, & Zucker, 2004). Further studies examining clinically significant levels of internalizing problems have not found a longitudinal link (Johnson, Chilcoat, & Breslau, 2000;Stoleru, Nottelmann, Belmont, & Ronsaville, 1997). It is noteworthy that the prediction of later internalizing problems from sleep problems is more robust in adults than in children, suggesting that sleep problems may be a better predictor of internalizing problems in older than in younger participants.…”

Convergent validity of the Child Behavior Checklist sleep items with validated sleep measures and sleep disorder diagnoses in children and adolescents referred to a sleep disorders center

“…The seven items related to sleep are as follows: "nightmares" (Item 47), "overtired without good reason" (Item 54), "sleeps less than most kids" (Item 76), "sleeps more than most kids during day and/or night" (Item 77), "talks or walks in sleep" (Item 92), "trouble sleeping" (Item 100), and "wets the bed" (Item 108). Nonetheless, multiple studies have used these items to create a measure of sleep functioning (using either all seven items or all items except the "wets the bed" item) [3][4][5]. For instance, sleep items on the CBCL have been used to demonstrate sleep problems among children with anxiety [6], severe traumatic brain injury [7], seizures [8], and Tourette's syndrome and chronic tic disorder [9].…”