Maternal Sleep Quality and Executive Function are Associated with Perceptions of Infant Sleep

ABSTRACT

Objectives

This study examined the associations among maternal sleep quality, executive function, and perceptions of infant sleep in a sample of families recruited from human service and public health systems.

Methods

Seventy-three mothers of infants 5–14 months old were included in the study. Mothers racially and ethnically identified as American Indian/Alaskan Native (4.1%), Asian (4.1%), Black/African American (12.3%), Latina (23.3%), more than one race (12.3%), Pacific Islander (1.4%), and White (42.5%). Mothers completed questionnaires assessing their own sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and executive function (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function) as well as their perceptions about their infant’s sleep (Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire).

Results

Results of the path analysis indicated significant direct effects among maternal sleep quality, executive function, and perceptions of infant sleep. Significant indirect effects were found such that poor maternal sleep quality was linked to poorer perceptions of infant sleep through maternal executive dysfunction, adjusting for infant sleep patterns, infant age, and maternal race and ethnicity.

Conclusions

The current study highlights the potential role of maternal behavioral and cognitive factors in shaping mothers’ perceptions about infant sleep. These findings support the need for health professionals and researchers to consider maternal sleep quality and executive function when addressing mothers’ concerns about infant sleep.

Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to our community partners for their time and extremely grateful to the families who shared their experiences with us. The authors also thank Tiffany Koppels and Sara Chaparro Rucobo for their support and acknowledge the many intellectual contributions of Dr. Monique LeBourgeois who was a mentor on this research award. Research reported in this publication was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K01HD098331 and R03HD103746. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

Data are not publicly available due to ethical reasons concerning the sensitive nature of the data (informed consent). Study materials and analysis code can be requested from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development of the National Institutes of Health [K01HD098331 & R03HD103746].