Development of the Parenting Behavior Checklist to Promote Preschoolers’ Sleep (PCPP)

ABSTRACT

Objectives

To develop the Parenting Behavior Checklist to Promote Preschoolers’ sleep (PCPP), quantify sleep-promoting parenting behaviors for children, and examine the scale’s reliability and validity.

Methods

The PCPP was developed based on the recommendations of the ABCs of SLEEPING for children’s sleep, which is strongly supported by research evidence. Its validity and reliability were evaluated using data from 140 participants. Structural validity was estimated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and internal consistency was evaluated by Cronbach’s α. Hypothesis testing was evaluated by analyzing the correlations between each factor of the Japanese Sleep Questionnaire for Preschoolers (JSQ-P) and the PCPP.

Results

Regarding structural validity, EFA was conducted because CFA showed a poor model fit. The PCPP comprised one factor and six items. The JSQ-P subfactors of insomnia or circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, undesirable morning symptoms and behaviors, and insufficient sleep were moderately negatively correlated with the PCPP; the subfactor of undesirable daytime behaviors related to sleep problems was weakly negatively correlated with the PCPP. Thus, the sleep-promoting parenting behaviors listed in the PCPP were associated with better sleep in children.

Conclusions

The PCPP showed sufficient reliability and validity. Future studies should use the scale to examine more effective interventions regarding sleep-promoting parental behaviors for children.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the staff of the kindergartens and nursery schools, and the parents that contributed to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2023.2241590

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B: Sleep Medicine) from Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Japan.