Sleep Matters: Attentional and Behavioral Outcomes among Preschool Age Children of Mothers with Depression

Abstract This study investigates the association between sleep duration and attentional and behavioral outcomes in preschool children of mothers with depression, a group at elevated developmental risk. Exploring data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study ( N = 2945; female = 48%), we examine whether longer sleep durations are associated with reduced attentional and behavioral issues in these preschoolers from low-income, high-risk families. Specifically, we focus on attentional, externalizing, and internalizing problems. Our analysis employs both linear and non-linear models to parse the intricacies of sleep’s role on child behavior. Findings suggest that adequate sleep may play a key role in mitigating the negative developmental impacts of maternal depression. These insights pave the way for targeted interventions that could bolster child development through improved sleep practices.