A-142 The Impact of Temperament on Sleep in Term and Preterm Infants

Abstract

Abstract Objective: Research has examined temperament’s effect on infant sleep. Poorer sleep has been associated with higher negative affectivity, lower surgency, and lower regulation. Limited research has examined gestational age in this association, despite findings that gestational age is individually related to temperament and infant sleep. Due to the increased risk associated with prematurity, we hypothesized that the aforementioned associations between temperament and poorer sleep would be stronger for children with lower gestational age. Methods: Socioeconomically diverse term and preterm caregiver/infant dyads (N=571) were recruited in a longitudinal, multisite study. Temperament was measured at 9 months using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. Infant sleep (IS) and parent perception of sleep (PP) were measured at 15 months using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Correlational analyses examined associations between temperament and sleep, while regression analyses explored gestational age as a moderator in this association. Results: Higher negative affectivity was associated with poorer IS and PP (r=-.18, r=-.20, respectively, p<.01). Higher surgency was only associated with poorer IS (r=-.16, p<.01), while higher regulation/orienting was only associated with better PP (r=.16, p<.01). Gestational age was not a significant moderator. Conclusion: Lack of moderation suggests gestational age does not differentially affect the association between temperament and sleep. Higher negative affectivity and higher surgency were associated with poorer IS, suggesting a target group for intervention. Children with higher negative affectivity may be more likely to receive intervention than those with higher surgency, as parents view their sleep as problematic. Children with higher surgency may require increased monitoring to receive intervention when warranted.