SLEEP PROBLEMS IN TODDLERS - EFFECTS OF TREATMENT ON THEIR DAYTIME BEHAVIOR

Objective: This study investigated the effects of a treatment program for severely sleep-disturbed children on their daytime interaction wit h their mothers. Method: Twenty-eight children with serious sleep prob lems and 30 matched controls, aged 12 to 36 months, were compared on b ehavior rating scales, on sleep patterns, and during play and feeding interactions with their mothers before and after an intervention progr am. Results: After treatment the sleep-disturbed children improved in their behavior, in their sleep patterns, and during feeding interactio ns with their mothers. However, the behavior of the children but not t hat of their mothers improved. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that a brief behavioral intervention program focused on help ing families manage children with sleep disturbances can generalize to daytime mother-child interactions. This suggests that a compromised r elationship in early life may be modified by rather simple interventio ns since changes of one behavioral system may modify the total relatio nship of young children with those caring for them.