Authors: Burnham, Melissa M.; Goodlin-Jones, Beth L.; Gaylor, Erika E.; Anders, Thomas F.

Source: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, Volume 43, Number 6, September 2002 , pp. 713-725(13)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Background: The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the longitudinal development of sleep-wake patterns of solitary-sleeping infants from 1 to 12 months of age, (2) identify effects on sleep patterns and on self-soothing behaviors of introducing a novel sleep aid, and (3) identify predictive factors of self-soothing at 12 months using a transactional model as a guide. Methods: Eighty infants' nighttime sleep-wake patterns and associated variables were studied at 5 times across the first year of life using videosomnography and questionnaires. Results: Sleep-wake state developmental changes, as reported in investigations of infant sleep, were replicated, although a great deal of individual variability in the development of all sleep-related variables was noted. No major effects on sleep or on self-soothing behavior were evident from the introduction of the novel sleep aid. Three variables were identified as significant predictors of self-soothing at 12 months: decreasing amounts of time spent out of crib across the first year, high levels of quiet sleep at birth, and longer parental response times to infant awakenings at 3 months. Conclusions: These data lend preliminary support for the transactional model and suggest that infant and parental factors interact to influence the development of self-soothing.

Keywords: Infancy; normal development; parent-child interaction; paediatrics; sleep; temperament

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00076

Affiliations: 1: University of California, USA

Publication date: 2002-09-01

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