Tuned in parenting and infant sleep patterns

Abstract

This paper focuses on infant sleep behaviour that is of concern to mothers of young infants, and disruptive to families. It reports on the incidence of sleep problems in dyads that self‐referred to a specialist clinic, and the relationship between the mother's sensitive responsiveness and infant sleep patterns in a sample of 65 Australian infants. It briefly considers an intervention programme tailored to the specific needs of the dyad where the problem is severe. The sample consisted of a clinical self‐referred group and a comparative group from the community. Self‐report scales assessed infant sleep pattern while the Child–Adult Relationship Experimental Index assessed maternal sensitivity. All referred infants met the cut‐off point for ‘sleep problems’, while only two of the community group met this criterion. Results demonstrated a clear association between maternal sensitivity and infant sleep disorder and are discussed along with limitations of the study.