Maternal sensitivity and children’s sleep problems across early childhood

Figures & data

Figure 1. Expected associations for maternal sensitivity and children’s sleep problems over time.

Table 1. Child and maternal characteristics of study population (n = 942).

Study characteristics	Mean (SD)/% (n)	n
Child characteristics
Female	49.7 (468)	942
Sleep problems scores
At 1.5 years	1.38 (1.84)	847
At 3 years	1.54 (1.98)	839
At 6 years	1.03 (1.61)	853
Maternal characteristics
Age at intake	31.93 (3.81)	942
Educational level
No/primary school/secondary school/vocational training	25.4 (223)	879
Bachelor’s degree/University	74.6 (656)	879
Maternal sensitivity scores
Sensitivity (at 1.5 years)^a	6.28 (1.01)	610
Cooperation (at 1.5 years)^a	6.25 (0.95)	610
Supportive presence (at 3 years)^b	4.05 (1.09)	692
Non-intrusiveness (at 3 years)^b	3.89 (1.17)	692
Supportive presence (at 4 years)^b	3.58 (1.13)	624
Non-intrusiveness (at 4 years)^b	3.41 (1.10)	623

^a Possible scores on the Ainsworth’s 9-point rating scales range from 1 to 9. ^bPossible scores on the Erickson 7-point rating scales range from 1 to 7.

Table 2. Bivariate correlations between maternal sensitivity and children’s sleep problems.

Study variable		Maternal sensitivity				Sleep problems
		1.5 years	3 years	4 years		1.5 years	3 years	6 years
Maternal sensitivity	1.5 years
	3 years	.25**
	4 years	.12*	.38**
Sleep problems	1.5 years	−.01	−.01	−.09*
	3 years	.01	.01	−.07		.39**
	6 years	−.00	−.09*	−.12**		.27**	.45**

*p < .05; **p < .01.

Table 3. Comparing nested models: Testing measurement invariance for maternal sensitivity at child ages 3 and 4 years.

Model	Model fit indices							Model	Model comparisons
	χ^2	df	p	CFI	TLI	SRMR	RMSEA		Δχ^2	df	p	ΔCFI	ΔSRMR	ΔRMSEA
A. Configural	71.498	13	<.001	0.923	0.835	0.052	0.073
B. Metric	89.685	17	<.001	0.905	0.843	0.061	0.072	B vs. A	18.19	4	.001	−0.018	0.009	<0.015
C. Metric^a	81.074	16	<.001	0.915	0.851	0.056	0.070	C vs. A	9.58	3	.023	−0.008	0.004	<0.015
D. Scalar	284.452	20	<.001	0.654	0.515	0.109	0.126	D vs. C	203.38	4	<.001	−0.261	0.053	0.056
E. Scalar^b	166.783	19	<.001	0.806	0.715	0.078	0.097	E vs. C	85.71	3	<.001	−0.109	0.022	0.027
F. Scalar^c	110.045	18	<.001	0.879	0.813	0.065	0.078	F vs. C	28.97	2	<.001	−0.036	0.009	0.008

Note. CFI = comparative fit index; TLI = Tucker-Lewis index; SRMR = standardized root mean square residual; RMSEA = root mean square error of approximation. Full uniqueness invariance was not tested as scalar invariance (less constrained model) was not established.

^a Metric model after releasing item Intrusiveness during building a tower task factor loading constraint. ^bScalar model after releasing item Intrusiveness during ‘Etch-a-Sketch’ task intercept constraint. ^cScalar model after releasing items Intrusiveness during ‘Etch-a-Sketch’ task and Supportiveness during building a tower intercept constraints.

Figure 2. Cross-lagged panel model for maternal sensitivity and children’s sleep problems.

Note: Coefficients presented are standardized coefficient estimates. Significant coefficients are indicated in bold. **p < .01.

Table 4. Parameter estimates of the cross-lagged panel model for maternal sensitivity and children’s sleep problems.

Model parameters	b	SE	p	β
Cross-lagged paths
Maternal sensitivity (1.5 years) → children’s sleep problems (3 years)	−0.03	.11	.795	−.01
Maternal sensitivity (3 years) → children’s sleep problem (6 years)	−0.19	.07	.008	−.09
Children’s sleep problems (1.5 years) → maternal sensitivity (3 years)	−0.01	.02	.494	−.03
Children’s sleep problems (3 years) → maternal sensitivity (4 years)	−0.02	.01	.065	−.05
Within-time associations
Children’s sleep problems (1.5 years) – maternal sensitivity (1.5 years)	−0.02	.06	.679	−.02
Children’s sleep problems (3 years) – maternal sensitivity (3 years)	0.003	.05	.945	.003
Children’s sleep problems (6 years) – maternal sensitivity (4 years)	−0.03	.03	.286	−.04
Stability paths
Maternal sensitivity (1.5 years) → maternal sensitivity (3 years)	0.23	.04	<.001	.23
Maternal sensitivity (3 years) → maternal sensitivity (4 years)	0.62	.03	<.001	.63
Children’s sleep problems (1.5 years) → children’s sleep problems (3 years)	0.41	.04	<.001	.38
Children’s sleep problems (3 years) → children’s sleep problems (6 years)	0.32	.03	<.001	.40