Disentangling the direction of associations between sleep and temperament in toddlers
Article [Accepted Manuscript]
Abstract(s)
Objectives/Background: Although much research has investigated the associations between
children’s sleep and their temperament, the direction of these associations remains unclear,
largely due to a lack of longitudinal studies with repeated assessments of both sleep and
temperament. Aiming to clarify the temporal precedence of these two constructs, the current
study investigated reciprocal associations between toddlers’ sleep and temperament with a
longitudinal design. Participants: The sample consisted of 82 toddlers (39 girls) assessed twice.
Methods: At both 2 (M = 25.23 months; SD = 1.11) and 3 years of age (M = 36.81 months; SD =
0.91), toddlers' sleep duration and quality were assessed using actigraphy and their temperament
was reported by their mothers with the Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire. Results:
Shorter nighttime sleep duration (ß = -.28, p = .03) and lower sleep efficiency (ß = -.33, p = .01)
at 2 years predicted more temperamental proneness to anger at 3 years, while greater
temperamental social fear at 2 years was predictive of shorter 24-hour (ß = -.44, p = .02) and
nighttime (ß = -.36, p = .04) sleep duration at 3 years. Associations between temperamental
activity level and sleep variables were non-significant. Conclusion: The direction of the
associations between toddlers’ sleep and their temperament may vary according to which
dimension of temperament is considered. These findings should encourage practitioners to
identify the beginning of the causal chain leading to sleep or temperamental difficulties so as to
develop well-tailored intervention plans.
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