Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Disturbed sleep and emotional reactivity in 5-year-old children

Gestörter Schlaf und emotionale Reaktivität bei 5-Jährigen

  • Originalien
  • Published:
Somnologie - Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Individual differences in emotional reactivity may be associated with sleep disturbances. This study aimed at assessing the possible association between emotional reactivity and sleep disturbance in preschool children.

Methods

The study was conducted in 2011 and comprised 142 apparently healthy preschool children (78 boys, 64 girls) from the community setting selected by chance. The children did not have any inborn abnormalities, disabilities, or chronic and progressive diseases; they were 5 years old at the time of study, were singletons born in St. Petersburg, and attended preschool day care centers. Children completed the Sleep Self Report (SSR) questionnaire. The items from the SSR were considered separately, and groups of questions were added to produce the scores in three dimensions of sleep problems: difficulty going to bed, sleep duration and night waking, and daytime sleepiness. The Achenbach Caregiver-Teacher Report Form for Ages 1.5–5 for the caregivers was used to calculate the emotional reactivity.

Results

The higher levels of emotional reactivity were more commonly associated with the children’s self-reported habits of falling asleep in their parents’ or sibling’s bed, nightmares seen, and feeling sleepy during the day. The more emotionally reactive children felt rested less commonly after night sleep. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the level of emotional reactivity and the calculated values of the night waking, daytime sleepiness, and global sleep disturbances scores. These associations remained significant after adjustment for major potential confounders.

Conclusion

A high level of emotional reactivity is associated with sleep disturbances in preschool children.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Individuelle Unterschiede bei der emotionalen Reaktivität können mit Schlafstörungen in Zusammenhang stehen, und Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, diesen möglichen Zusammenhang bei Vorschulkindern zu bestimmen.

Methoden

Die Studie wurde 2011 an 142 anscheinend gesunden Vorschulkindern durchgeführt (78 Jungen, 64 Mädchen), die nach dem Zufallsprinzip aus dem lokalen Umfeld ausgewählt worden waren. Die Kinder wiesen keine angeborenen Fehlbildungen, Behinderungen, chronische oder fortschreitende Erkrankungen auf, waren zum Zeitpunkt der Studie 5 Jahre alt, in St. Petersburg geborene Einlinge und besuchten Tageseinrichtungen für Vorschulkinder. Den Kindern wurde der Sleep-Self-Report-Fragebogen (SSR) vorgestellt. Die Einzelpunkte des SSR wurden getrennt betrachtet und Gruppen von Fragen hinzugefügt, um Werte zu 3 Dimensionen von Schlafproblemen zu erhalten: zum einen zu Schwierigkeiten, zu Bett zu gehen, zum anderen zu Schlafdauer und nächtlichem Aufwachen und schließlich zu Tagesschläfrigkeit. Die Betreuungspersonen erhielten als Fragebogen die Achenbach Caregiver-Teacher Report Form for Ages 1.5–5, welche die Berechnung der emotionalen Reaktivität ermöglicht.

Ergebnisse

Ein höheres Niveau emotionaler Reaktivität ging einher mit häufigeren vom Kind selbst angegebenen Gewohnheiten, im Bett eines Elternteils oder Geschwisters einzuschlafen, Albträume zu erleben oder sich am Tag schläfrig zu fühlen. Kinder mit höherer emotionaler Reaktivität fühlten sich seltener nach dem nächtlichen Schlaf ausgeruht. Eine statistisch signifikante positive Korrelation stellte sich zwischen dem Niveau emotionaler Reaktivität und den berechneten Werten für nächtliches Aufwachen, Tagesschläfrigkeit und den Gesamtwerten für Schlafstörungen heraus. Diese Zusammenhänge blieben auch nach Berücksichtigung wesentlicher potenzieller Störfaktoren signifikant.

Schlussfolgerung

Ein hohes Niveau emotionaler Reaktivität ist mit Schlafstörungen bei Vorschulkindern verknüpft.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Achenbach TM, Rescorla L (2000) Manual for the ASEBA preschool forms & profiles: an integrated system of multi-informant assessment. ASEBA, Burlington, VT

  2. Adair RH, Bauchner H (1993) Sleep problems in childhood. Curr Probl Pediatr 23:147–170, discussion 142

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Armitage P, Berry G, Matthews JNS (2001) Statistical methods in medical research. 4. edn. Blackwell Science, Malden

  4. Aronson KR, Barrett LF, Quigley K (2006) Emotional reactivity and the overreport of somatic symptoms: somatic sensitivity or negative reporting style? J Psychosom Res 60:521–530

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Baglioni C, Spiegelhalder K, Lombardo C, Riemann D (2010) Sleep and emotions: a focus on insomnia. Sleep Med Rev 14:227–238

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Bell MA, Deater-Deckard K (2007) Biological systems and the development of self-regulation: integrating behavior, genetics, and psychophysiology. J Dev Behav Pediatr 28:409–420

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Calkins SD, Gill KL, Johnson MC, Smith CL (1999) Emotional reactivity and emotional regulation strategies as predictors of social behavior with peers during toddlerhood. Soc Dev 8:310–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Caspi A, Henry B, McGee RO et al (1995) Temperamental origins of child and adolescent behavior problems: from age three to age fifteen. Child Dev 66:55–68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. Publishers, New Jersey

  10. Cole PM, Zahn-Waxler C, Smith KD (1994) Expressive control during a disappointment: Variations related to preschoolers behavior problems. Dev Psychol 30:835–846

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cross EM, Chaffin WW (1982) Use of the binomial theorem in interpreting results of multiple tests of significance. Educ Psychol Meas 42:25–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Davidson RJ (1998) Affective style and affective disorders: Perspectives from affective neuroscience. Cognition Emotion 12:307–330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Davidson RJ, Pizzagalli D, Nitschke JB, Putnam K (2002) Depression: perspectives from affective neuroscience. Annu Rev Psychol 53:545–574

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Dinges DF, Pack F, Williams K et al (1997) Cumulative sleepiness, mood disturbance, and psychomotor vigilance performance decrements during a week of sleep restricted to 4–5 hours per night. Sleep 20:267–277

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Eisenberg N, Fabes RA, Carlo G, Karbon M (1992) Emotional responsivity to others: behavioral correlates and socialization antecedents. New Dir Child Dev (55):57–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Eisenberg N, Fabes RA, Bernzweig J et al (1993) The relations of emotionality and regulation to preschoolers’ social skills and sociometric status. Child Dev 64:1418–1438

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Eisenberg N, Fabes RA, Shepard SA et al (1997) Contemporaneous and longitudinal prediction of children’s social functioning from regulation and emotionality. Child Dev 68:642–664

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Eisenberg N, Losoya S, Fabes RA et al (2001) Parental socialization of children’s dysregulated expression of emotion and externalizing problems. J Fam Psychol 15:183–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Eisenberg N, Liew J, Pidada SU (2004) The longitudinal relations of regulation and emotionality to quality of Indonesian children’s socioemotional functioning. Dev Psychol 40:790–804

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. El-Sheikh M, Buckhalt JA (2005) Vagal regulation and emotional intensity predict sleep problems children’s sleep problems. Dev Psychobiol 46:307–317

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. El-Sheikh M, Buckhalt JA, Mark Cummings E, Keller P (2007) Sleep disruptions and emotional insecurity are pathways of risk for children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 48:88–96

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Faul F, Erdfelder E, Lang AG, Buchner A (2007) G*Power 3: a flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behav Res Methods 39:175–191

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Franklin S, Walker C (2003) Survey methods and practices. Statistics Canada. Social Survey Methods Division, Ottawa

  24. Gregory AM, Caspi A, Eley TC et al (2005) Prospective longitudinal associations between persistent sleep problems in childhood and anxietiy and depression disorders in adulthood. J Abnorm Child Psychol 33:157–163

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Gregory AM, Rijsdijk FV, Lau JYF et al (2009) The direction of longitudinal associations between sleep problems and depression symptoms: a study of twins aged 8 and 10 years. Sleep 32:189–199

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Gross JJ, John OP (2003) Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. J Pers Soc Psychol 85:348–362

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Horne JA (1985) Sleep function, with particular reference to sleep deprivation. Ann Clin Res 17:199–208

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Kales A, Caldwell AB, Preston TA et al (1976) Personality patterns in insomnia. Theoretical implications. Arch Gen Psychiatry 33:1128–1134

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Kales A, Soldatos CR, Caldwell AB et al (1980) Nightmares: clinical characteristics and personality patterns. Am J Psychiatry 137:1197–1201

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Kales A, Caldwell AB, Soldatos CR et al (1983) Biopsychobehavioral correlates of insomnia. II. Pattern specificity and consistency with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Psychosom Med 45:341–356

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Kelmanson IA (2004) Temperament and sleep characteristics in two-month-old Infants. Sleep Hypnosis 6:67–73

    Google Scholar 

  32. Kolmagorova AV, Slobodskaya ER, Kinscht IA (2007) Mental health assessment in early childhood (in Russian). Bulletin of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences 125:46–52

    Google Scholar 

  33. Lavidor M, Weller A, Babkoff H (2003) How sleep is related to fatigue. Br J Health Psychol 8:95–105

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Lavigne JV, Arend R, Rosenbaum D et al (1999) Sleep and behavior problems among preschoolers. J Dev Behav Pediatr 20:164–169

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Lewis M (2002) Child and adolescent psychiatry: a comprehensive textbook. 3rd edn. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia

  36. Lozoff B, Wolf AW, Davis NS (1984) Cosleeping in urban families with young children in the United States. Pediatrics 74:171–182

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Marsee MA, Frick PJ (2007) Exploring the cognitive and emotional correlates to proactive and reactive aggression in a sample of detained girls. J Abnorm Child Psychol 35:969–981

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Mauss IB, Levenson RW, McCarter L et al (2005) The tie that binds? Coherence among emotion experience, behavior, and physiology. Emotion 5:175–190

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Mindell JA, Owens JA (2010) A clinical guide to pediatric sleep: diagnosis and management of sleep problems. 2nd edn. Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia

  40. Nixon GM, Thompson JM, Han DY et al (2008) Short sleep duration in middle childhood: risk factors and consequences. Sleep 31:71–78

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Owens JA, Maxim R, Nobile C et al (2000) Parental and self-report of sleep in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 154:549–555

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Owens JA, Spirito A, McGuinn M, Nobile C (2000) Sleep habits and sleep disturbance in elementary school-aged children. J Dev Behav Pediatr 21:27–36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Pagel JF (2000) Nightmares and disorders of dreaming. Am Fam Physician 61:2037–2042, 2044

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Rath FH Jr, Okum ME (1995) Parents and children sleeping together: cosleeping prevalence and concerns. Am J Orthopsychiatry 65:411–418

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Reid GJ, Hong RY, Wade TJ (2009) The relation between common sleep problems and emotional and behavioral problems among 2- and 3-year-olds in the context of known risk factors for psychopathology. J Sleep Res 18:49–59

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Rothbart MK, Ellis LK, Posner MI (2004) Temperament and self-regulation. In: Baumeister RF, Vohs KD (eds) Handbook of self-regulation: research, theory and applications. Guilford Press, New York, pp 357–370

  47. Rothbart MK, Bates JE (2006) Social, emotional, and personality development. In: Eisenberg N, Damon W, Lerner RM (eds) Handbook of child psychology. John Wiley & Sons Inc., Hoboken, pp 99–166

  48. Santrock JW (2003) Psychology. 7th edn. McGraw-Hill, Boston

  49. Scher A, Hall WA, Zaidman-Zait A, Weinberg J (2010) Sleep quality, cortisol levels, and behavioral regulation in toddlers. Dev Psychobiol 52:44–53

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Schultz D, Izard CE, Bear G (2004) Children’s emotion processing: relations to emotionality and aggression. Dev Psychopathol 16:371–387

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Sonnentag S, Binnewies C, Mojza EJ (2008) “Did you have a nice evening?” A day-level study on recovery experiences, sleep, and affect. J Appl Psychol 93:674–684

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Thompson RA (1994) Emotion regulation: a theme in search of definition. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev 59:25–52

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Vela-Bueno A, Bixler EO, Dobladez-Blanco B et al (1985) Prevalence of night terrors and nightmares in elementary school children: a pilot study. Res Commun Psychol Psychiatr Behav 10:177–188

    Google Scholar 

  54. Walker MP (2009) The role of sleep in cognition and emotion. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1156:168–197

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Weissbluth M, Liu K (1983) Sleep patterns, attention span, and infant temperament. J Dev Behav Pediatr 4:34–36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Weissbluth M (1984) Sleep duration, temperament, and Conners’ ratings of three-year-old children. J Dev Behav Pediatr 5:120–123

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Wild D, Grove A, Martin M et al (2005) Principles of good practice for the translation and cultural adaptation process for Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) measures: report of the ISPOR task force for translation and cultural adaptation. Value Health 8:94–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Yoo SS, Gujar N, Hu P et al (2007) The human emotional brain without sleep—a prefrontal amygdala disconnect. Curr Biol 17:R877–R878

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Zohar D, Tzischinsky O, Epstein R, Lavie P (2005) The effects of sleep loss on medical residents’ emotional reactions to work events: a cognitive-energy model. Sleep 28:47–54

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank undergraduate students of the Institute of Special Education and Special Psychology of the Raoul Wallenberg International University for Family and Child for their help in collecting raw data.

Conflict of interest

The corresponding author states that there are no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Special Education and Special Psychology of the Raoul Wallenberg, International University for Family and Child, 92 Bolshaya Ozernaya Str., 194356, St. Petersburg, Russia

    I.A. Kelmanson

Authors
  1. I.A. Kelmanson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to I.A. Kelmanson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kelmanson, I. Disturbed sleep and emotional reactivity in 5-year-old children. Somnologie 17, 49–56 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-013-0603-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-013-0603-3

Keywords

Schlüsselwörter