The relationship between mothers' maladaptive schemas and sleep problems in 12‐to‐36‐month‐old children: The role of attachment and sleep behaviors

Sleep problems in early childhood are common and may be shaped by maternal psychological factors. This study, performed in Turkey, explored the association between mothers' early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and sleep difficulties in children aged 12-36 months. Mothers' early maladaptive schemas were assessed using the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 (YSQ-S3), and sleep difficulties in children were defined according to BISQ-derived clinical criteria. The sample consisted of 58.8% boys and 41.2% girls. Among 153 mothers, those whose children had sleep problems exhibited lower levels of "enmeshment/dependence" and "punitiveness" schemas. In contrast, higher maternal "failure to achieve" scores were associated with an increased likelihood of child sleep problems, while elevated "enmeshment/dependence" scores and receiving occasional support from a partner or family served as protective factors. Notably, maternal age over 30 emerged as a strong risk factor, whereas children aged 25-36 months demonstrated fewer sleep problems compared to younger counterparts. These findings point to possible associations between maternal schematic tendencies and child sleep characteristics across developmental contexts. These preliminary observations may highlight areas for further research on caregiver-child processes relevant to early childhood sleep.