What do preschool-aged children do when they wake at night: toward an understanding of night-waking behaviors among community children

Behav Sleep Med. 2014 Mar 4;12(2):89-105. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2013.764527. Epub 2013 Mar 12.

Abstract

Little is known about behaviors displayed by preschoolers during night-waking. Mothers (N = 203) of community preschoolers completed the Children's Night-waking Behavior Scale and measures of night-waking, co-sleeping, and daytime behavior. Approximately 1/2 of wakings involved calling out, getting out of bed, and requests for comfort; 1/4 involved activity, fear, or instrumental requests. Specific associations between night-waking behaviors, night-waking, and bedtime and daytime behaviors were observed; associations were not consistent across child gender and age. For example, comfort requests were associated with mothers' perceptions of sleep as problematic in 4- and 5-year-old children only (ρ = .42); activity requests were associated with hyperactivity for boys only (r = .36). Understanding night-waking requires consideration of factors beyond parenting, such as children's behavior, age, and gender.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Child Behavior*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mothers
  • Parenting
  • Sex Factors
  • Sleep / physiology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / physiopathology
  • Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires