Infant sleep moderates the effect of infant temperament on maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and family functioning

Abstract

Observed infant temperamental difficulty and infant sleep efficiency and sleep variability were examined as predictors of maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and family functioning. Eight observations at 8-months postpartum were used to assess infant temperament, and actigraphy was used to measure infant sleep for 1-week at the time of the 8-month assessment. Structured clinical interviews were used to assess maternal depressive symptoms between 5 and 12 months postpartum and at 15 months postpartum, and observational assessments were used to assess maternal sensitivity and family functioning at 15 months postpartum. Variability in infant sleep moderated the effect of infant temperament on maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and family functioning. Infant temperament was positively associated with maternal depressive symptoms when variability in infant sleep efficiency was high, but not when variability in infant sleep efficiency was low. Likewise, infant temperament was negatively associated with maternal sensitivity and family functioning when variability in infant sleep efficiency was high, but not when variability in infant sleep efficiency was low. Results underscore the importance of infant sleep for maternal and family health.