Poster #148 - Understanding the Impact of Sleep Hygiene on Children’s Behavior During COVID-19

• In Event: Poster Session 09

Abstract

As sleep problems, such as duration and quality, among children are reportedly getting worse, understanding its implications on children’s physical and mental health outcomes is crucial (Giddens et at, 2022; Sambaras et al., 2022). In a study by Sambaras et al., 2022, it was observed that children who slept less than 10 hours (54.9%) had higher internalized (e.g., depressed mood) and externalized difficulties (e.g., impulsivity). Similar studies have supported that poor sleep is detrimental to overall well being relating to worse school performance (Malkani et al., 2022), exacerbated ADHD symptoms (Malkani et al., 2022), and worse among disadvantaged children (Giddens et al., 2022). On the contrary, children consistently sleeping 10 or more hours per night before Kindergarten transitioned more successfully and showed better outcomes in socioemotional, learning engagement, and academic domains (Teti et al., 2022). Sleep interventions in children targeted at improving bedtime routines, sleep hygiene, parent education, and sleep programs in school showed improved sleep outcomes (e.g., quality, environment, stability; Geidar & Battle, 2022; Carter et al., 2014). While literature on sleep quality, quantity and its impact on children’s well-being is vast, studies on sleep hygiene (e.g., bedtime routine), social play problems (e.g., disruption), and children’s behavior concerns (e.g., uncooperative, emotional outbursts) in the context of COVID-19 are scarce.

In this study, we looked at how sleep hygiene, social play problems, and behavior concerns relate in an online study collected during the Covid-19 pandemic. To measure sleep hygiene, we utilized the Children’s Sleep Hygiene Scale’s (Harsh et al., 2002) cognitive, bedtime routine, and sleep stability subscales. Social play problems were measured using the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (Fantuzzo et al., 1998), which looked at play problems in the context of disruption, disconnection, and interaction. Lastly, children’s behavior concerns consisted of behavior (e.g., uncooperative) and emotional problems (e.g., negative mood) subscales. Caregivers (N = 41) of children in Kindergarten were asked to fill out a questionnaire online on these measures.

Pearson's correlation analysis indicated no significant relation between sleep hygiene and social play and behavioral concerns. However, there is significant overlap with parent reports of behavior problems and children’s disruption during free play (r(31) = .37, p = 0.04). Emotional problems were also correlated to children’s disruption (r(31) = .37, p =0.039) and disconnection (r(31) = .42, p = 0.019). Although sleep hygiene did not relate to behavior problems and social play problems, this might be due to the small sample size. Sleep hygiene might also be better captured by other constructs such as perceived sleep quality and quantity which the literature has consistently reported to impact children’s well-being. While we continue to explore the relation of sleep hygiene in this context, it is important to note the significant correlations between endorsed increased behavior problems and social play problems. This informs us that worsening behavior concerns during COVID-19 may have an impact on children’s social free play behaviors, and merits additional analyses as children transition to a classroom setting with their peers.

Authors

• Anyela Jacome, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  Presenting Author

• Kaitlin Quick

• Julia Mendez, University of North Carolina at Greensboro