Sleep quality, duration and behavioral symptoms among 5–6-year-old children

The objective of the present study was to examine whether parent-reported short sleep duration and sleeping difficulties are related to behavioral symptoms among pre-school aged children. The study is a cross-sectional survey of 297 families with 5–6-year-old children. The Sleep Disturbance Scale for children was used to measure sleep duration and sleeping difficulties, and the Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher’s Report Form were used to measure attention problems, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. In multivariate logistic regression models, short sleep duration was according to parental reports related to inattention (adjusted odds ratio 4.70, 95% CI 1.58–14.00), internalizing (adjusted odds ratio 3.84, 95% CI 1.32–11.21), and total psychiatric symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 3.53, 95% CI 1.23–10.17) while according to teacher's reports it was almost significantly related to internalizing symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 4.20, 95% CI 0.86–20.51). Sleeping difficulties were strongly related to all subtypes of psychiatric symptoms according to parental reports (adjusted odds ratios ranging from 6.47 to 11.71) and to externalizing symptoms according to teachers’ reports (adjusted odds ratio 7.35, 95% CI 1.69–32.08). Both short sleep duration and sleeping difficulties are associated with children's behavioral symptoms. Intervention studies are needed to study whether childrens behavioral symptoms can be reduced by lengthening sleep duration or improving sleep quality

The significance of supportive and undermining elements in the maternal representations of an unborn baby

Objective: The maternal representations of an unborn baby begin to develop during pregnancy. However, the factors that moderate them are not well identified. The objective of this study was to jointly explore supportive and undermining factors in the maternal representations of an unborn baby and motherhood. Methods: Cross-sectional data comprising 1646 women studied during the third trimester of pregnancy. Maternal expectations were measured using a 12-item self-report questionnaire, Mother's Representations about an Unborn Baby. Depression, anxiety, family atmosphere and adult attachment were measured using standardised questionnaires. Statistical analysis is based on multivariate linear regression analysis. Results: The most powerful predictors of a mother's prenatal expectations were the mother's educational status, age, closeness in adult relationships, higher levels of depressive symptoms and family atmosphere. In accordance with our hypothesis, depression was related to the mother's more negative expectations on their relationship with the unborn baby and on regularity in the baby's sleeping and eating patterns. A positive family atmosphere and the mother's ability for closeness and dependence (i.e. confidence) in adult relationships were related to more positive expectations of the mother-unborn baby relationship. On the other hand, stress, anxiety and adverse life events were not related to the mother's expectations of her unborn baby. Conclusions: The results may be helpful in identifying families who need early professional support and call for studies where the prenatal phase is explored as a proactive phase for the development of the child-parent relationship.Peer reviewe

A Longitudinal Study of Maternal Postnatal Bonding and Psychosocial Factors that Contribute to Social-Emotional Development

In this longitudinal study, we examined how maternal bonding and psycho-social factors are associated with social-emotional problems in two-year-old children. Our data came from a birth cohort from which data were collected at four timepoints: prenatally during the third trimester, and postnatally at 3, 8 and 24 months. The participants were 1,667 mothers, of which 943 (56.6%) returned the questionnaire at each timepoint of the longitudinal study. The Children's social-emotional problems were examined using the Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment. According to linear regression analysis, maternal bonding difficulties at three and eight months, maternal expectations of the unborn baby during pregnancy, and maternal relationships within and outside the family were related to social-emotional problems in children of two years of age. The results highlight the importance of screening mothers who already prenatally have bonding problems or mothers who have bonding problems postnatally to provide effective and targeted intervention support.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Media ja lasten hyvinvointi

Televisionkatselu, video- ja tietokonepelit sekä internet muodostavat merkittävän osan lasten arkipäivää. Lähes puolella lapsista on televisio omassa huoneessaan, ja suuri osa lapsista katselee televisiota enimmäkseen yksin. Suuri media-altistus lisää kuitenkin lasten psykososiaalisen oireilun vaaraa, kuten aggressioita ja vaikeuksia käyttäytymisen säätelyssä ja keskittymisessä. Erityisesti mediaväkivallan ajatellaan olevan haitallista lasten hyvinvoinnin kannalta. Vaikka media-altistukseen liitetyt riskit voivat ainakin osittain heijastella myös sosiaalisten riskitekijöiden kumuloitumista, näyttää niillä olevan myös itsenäinen rooli oireita lisäävänä tekijänä. Median haitallisia vaikutuksia voidaan todennäköisesti vähentää vanhemmille suunnatulla ohjeistuksella

Media ja lasten hyvinvointi

Televisionkatselu, video- ja tietokonepelit sekä internet muodostavat merkittävän osan lasten arkipäivää. Lähes puolella lapsista on televisio omassa huoneessaan, ja suuri osa lapsista katselee televisiota enimmäkseen yksin. Suuri media-altistus lisää kuitenkin lasten psykososiaalisen oireilun vaaraa, kuten aggressioita ja vaikeuksia käyttäytymisen säätelyssä ja keskittymisessä. Erityisesti mediaväkivallan ajatellaan olevan haitallista lasten hyvinvoinnin kannalta. Vaikka media-altistukseen liitetyt riskit voivat ainakin osittain heijastella myös sosiaalisten riskitekijöiden kumuloitumista, näyttää niillä olevan myös itsenäinen rooli oireita lisäävänä tekijänä. Median haitallisia vaikutuksia voidaan todennäköisesti vähentää vanhemmille suunnatulla ohjeistuksella

Prenataalit odotukset ja muut psykosoisaaliset tekijät postnataalisen bondinghäiriöiden riskitekijöinä

The mother's bond to her baby starts to develop during pregnancy, and it is related to the baby's attachment. We study how the mother's prenatal expectations of her unborn baby, the mother's adult relationships, and postnatal psycho-social factors (stress, depression, and anxiety) are related to the risk of bonding disturbance. The study comprised 1398 mothers and their unborn babies assessed both during pregnancy and when the babies were 3 months old (47.7% girls). The mother's risk of bonding disturbance was investigated using Brockington's Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire. According to the results, 71 (5.1%) of all the mothers in the study had a risk of a bonding disturbance. In a final adjusted logistic regression model, the most important risk factors were the mother's inability to form positive expectations about relationships with the baby during the third trimester of pregnancy (AOR = 7.78, p <= .001), maternal postnatal stress (AOR = 4.95, p <= .001) and maternal postnatal depression (AOR = 3.46, p <= .01). The results challenge healthcare professionals to screen pregnant mothers to identify at-risk groups for post-partum bonding disturbances. Intervention programs to prevent the development of bonding disturbances, and thus their possible serious consequences for children's development, should be considered.Peer reviewe