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Sleep Problems in Toddlers: Effects of Treatment on Their Daytime Behavior

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ABSTRACT

Objective

This study investigated the effects of a treatment program for severely sleep-disturbed children on their daytime interaction with their mothers.

Method

Twenty-eight children with serious sleep problems and 30 matched controls, aged 12 to 36 months, were compared on behavior rating scales, on sleep patterns, and during play and feeding interactions with their mothers before and after an intervention program.

Results

After treatment the sleep-disturbed children improved in their behavior, in their sleep patterns, and during feeding interactions with their mothers. However, the behavior of the children but not that of their mothers improved.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that a brief behavioral intervention program focused on helping families manage children with sleep disturbances can generalize to daytime mother-child interactions. This suggests that a compromised relationship in early life may be modified by rather simple interventions since changes of one behavioral system may modify the total relationship of young children with those caring for them.

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  • Cited by (0)

    This study was supported by the Ontario Mental Health Foundation (grant 7042).

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