Longitudinal association between peer victimization and sleep problems in preschoolers: the moderating role of parenting

Abstract

This study examined the moderating role of parental behaviors in the longitudinal link between peer victimization and sleep problems during preschool. The sample consisted of 1,181 children (594 girls) attending day care between the ages of 3 and 6 years. Participants were part of the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a longitudinal study of child development led by the Institut de la Statistique du Quebec. Controlling for potential confounders, latent growth curve analyses revealed that the association between peer victimization and sleep problems varied depending on parents’ behaviors. Coercive parenting exacerbated the link between peer victimization and parasomnias. In contrast, positive parenting mitigated the link between peer victimization and insomnia. The findings suggest that persistent sleep problems at a young age may be an indicator of chronic peer victimization but that parents’ behaviors can play a key role in victimized children’s sleep problems.