The relationship between the development of social competence and sleep in infants: a longitudinal study

BackgroundMany reports argue that sleep is important for children’s health, learning, and academic performance. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the association between sleep and the development of social competence in infants.MethodsThis study was conducted as part of a Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) project. Caregivers responded to the Japan Children’s Study Sleep Questionnaire when children were 18 months old. The interactions of caregivers and children were observed when children were 18, 30, and 42 months old, and rated with the Interaction Rating Scale, which is a measure of social competence.ResultsNocturnal sleep duration of more than 10 h and an earlier bed time than 22:00 were significantly correlated with two trajectory groups (low point and high point transition groups) of children’s social competence at 18, 30, and 42 months. Further, total sleep duration of more than 12.25 h and an earlier bed time than 22:00 were significantly correlated with the trajectory of children’s social competence at 18, 30, and 42 months.ConclusionsSleep duration and sleep onset time are important factors in children’s development of social competence

Interaction Rating Scale (IRS) as an Evidence-Based Practical Index of Children’s Social Skills and Parenting

Background: The purpose of this paper is to describe the features of the Interaction Rating Scale (IRS) as an evidence-based practical index of children’s social skills and parenting.Methods: The participants in our study, which was conducted as part of a Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) project, were 370 dyads of children (aged 18, 30, and 42 month) and 81 dyads of 7-year-old children with their caregivers. The participants completed the five minute interaction session and were observed using the IRS.Results: The results indicated that the IRS can measure children’s social skill development and parenting with high validity. Along with the discriminate validity for pervasive development disorder (PDD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), abuse and maltreatment, a high correlation with the SDQ (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire), and high reliability, the IRS is effective in describing features of social skill development.Conclusions: The IRS provides further evidence of the fact that in order to study children’s social skill development, it is important to evaluate various features of the caregiver-child interaction as a predictor of social skills

Influence of Maternal Praise on Developmental Trajectories of Early Childhood Social Competence

We aimed to clarify the effects of the praise of mothers on their 18-month-old offspring by tracing the trajectory of the latters ’ social competence from this time to 30 and 42 months. The participants were 226 mother-child dyads whose interaction was observed when the children were 18, 30, and 42 months old. The features of mother-child interaction, and specifically the social proficiency of the children, were examined using the Interaction Rating Scale (IRS) as an aspect of social competence. Our findings indicate that caregivers ’ praise of 18-month-old children is very important in promoting a high-level trajectory of child social competence from that time to 30 and 42 months. It is hoped that caregivers and health care professionals will use these findings appropriately when providing care giving support to parents