Sleep problems among Chinese preschool children: prevalence and associated factors

Abstract

Introduction Sleep is a critical issue in child development and may be affected by a range of socio-demographic variables, parenting style and emotional/ behavior, etc. This study aimed to (1) characterize sleep patterns and sleep disturbances among Chinese preschool children, (2) determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances according to published norms, and (3) examine socio-demographic factors, parenting factors and emotional/behavioral problems that might be associated with sleep disturbances. Materials and methods A sample of 561 preschool children (53.2% male) aged 2–6 years was recruited from 10 kindergartens in Shijiazhuang city, China. Their parents completed the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and self-made questionnaire including demographic characteristics, using of electronics as well as parenting styles. Results The mean bedtime was 21:23 (SD = 33 min), mean wake-up time was 7:02 am (SD = 21 min), mean sleep duration was 9 h 20 min (SD = 42 min). Overall, 49.4% of the children suffered from global sleep disturbances (CSHQ total score above 41). The prevalence of specific sleep disturbances ranged from 4.3% (falling asleep while watching TV) to 32.4% (needing parents in room to sleep). Correlations between most domains of sleep disturbances and emotional/behavioral problems were statistically significant, with Pearson’s correlation coefficients varying from 0.1 to 0.3 (p ∣ Â = −0.13, p ∣ Â = 0.17, p ∣ Â = 0.15, p ∣ Â = 0.18, p ∣ Â = 0.14, p ∣ Â = 0.14, p Conclusion Short sleep duration and sleep disturbances are prevalent among Chinese preschool children. Sleep disturbances are associated with age, co-sleeping, parenting attitude, emotional symptoms and hyperactivity.