Ariel A. Williamson|Jodi A. Mindell|Harriet Hiscock|Jon Quach
Longitudinal sleep problem trajectories are associated with multiple impairments in child well?being
University of Pennsylvania|Children's Hospital of Philadelphia|University of Pennsylvania|Saint Joseph's University|Murdoch Children's Research Institute|University of Melbourne|Royal Children's Hospital|Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority|University of Melbourne|Murdoch Children's Research Institute
background study examined whether distinct sleep problem trajectories infancy middle childhood associated multiple aspects child wellbeing ages 1011 years methods data first six waves longitudinal study australian children birth cohort 5107 children recruited birth caregivers reported child sleep problems time point combination caregiverreported teacherreported childcompleted tasks used index child wellbeing outcomes ages 1011 years including emotionalbehavioural functioning internalizing externalizing symptoms selfcontrol healthrelated quality life cognitive skills academic achievement results latent class analysis identified five distinct sleep problem trajectories time persistent sleep problems middle childhood 77 sample limited infantpreschool sleep problems 90 increased middle childhood sleep problems 170 mild sleep problems time 144 sleep problems 519 compared sleep problems children persistent sleep problems greatest impairments across outcomes except cognitive skills perceptual reasoning moderate large effect sizes children increased middle childhood sleep problems similarly experienced greater internalizing externalizing symptoms worse quality life academic impairments limited infantpreschool sleep problems mild increases time trajectories also showed internalizing concerns worse caregiverreported quality life although effects smaller sleep trajectories conclusions linkages sleep problems negative child outcomes across domains underscore importance early identification targeted intervention address sleep problems promote child wellbeing