CHILDHOOD SLEEP PROBLEMS - ASSOCIATION WITH PRENATAL FACTORS AND MATERNAL DISTRESS DEPRESSION/

Objective: To determine whether problems with childhood sleep behaviou r are associated with either maternal sleep patterns and emotional sta tus during the pregnancy period, or levels of maternal distress and de pression during the postnatal period. Methodology: A case/control comp arison study. Cases were families presenting for admissions to a mothe r/baby hospital in Brisbane with the major presenting problem being th e child's sleep behaviour. The control group consisted of families pre senting for well child health care to one of four child health centres in suburban Brisbane. Each participating mother provided information by way of a self-report questionnaire on social and demographic variab les, children's sleep patterns, maternal emotional adjustment and mate rnal sleep pattern during the pregnancy, and current problem with chil d's sleep behaviour. Current level of maternal distress/depression, wa s measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Cases were compared with controls on all these variables. Results: Significant di fferences were found between groups in childhood sleep parameters, deg ree of problem related to childhood sleep, maternal sleep variables du ring the entire pregnancy, and current levels of maternal distress/dep ression. Conclusion: The origins of problematic childhood sleep behavi our may lie in the pregnancy period. Levels of maternal distress and d epression are associated with problematic childhood sleep behaviour. T he issue of whether childhood sleep problem predisposes to maternal di stress/depression needs exploration. Assessment of maternal mood disor der or childhood sleep problems should be comprehensive and involve bo th the maternal infant dyad and the family network.