Sleep Medicine
Volume 10, Issue 10 , Pages 1124-1131, December 2009

Evidence for similarities between adolescents and parents in sleep patterns

  • Serge Brand

      Affiliations

    • Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel, Depression Research Unit, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4025 Basel, Switzerland
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +41 61 32 55 114; fax: +41 61 32 55 513.
    • ,
  • Markus Gerber

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland
    • ,
  • Martin Hatzinger

      Affiliations

    • Psychiatric Outpatient Department of the University of Basel, Switzerland
    • ,
  • Johannes Beck

      Affiliations

    • Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel, Depression Research Unit, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4025 Basel, Switzerland
    • ,
  • Edith Holsboer-Trachsler

      Affiliations

    • Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel, Depression Research Unit, Wilhelm Klein-Strasse 27, 4025 Basel, Switzerland

Received 3 June 2008; received in revised form 21 November 2008; accepted 15 December 2008.

Abstract 

Objective

Sleep in adolescence may vary according to strain and environmental factors. In particular, parents’ behavior may affect their children’s psychological functioning and sleep. However, no data have been gathered with respect to parents and their adolescent children’s concurrent sleep patterns. This was the aim of the present study, together with exploration of the possible influence of parenting style on adolescents’ sleep.

Methods

A total of 293 adolescents (mean age: 17.55; 214 females, 79 males) completed several questionnaires regarding their own psychological functioning as well as a sleep log for seven consecutive days. Additionally, adolescents rated parents’ sleep and parenting styles.

Results

Adolescents’ and parents’ sleep patterns proved to be correlated. Moreover, mother’s sleep was related to adolescents’ psychological functioning. However, SEM showed that mother’s sleep influenced adolescents’ sleep not directly, but indirectly, via parenting style and adolescents’ psychological functioning.

Conclusions

Sleep patterns of parents and their adolescent children show similarities. Moreover, mother’s poor sleep has a direct impact on parenting style, which in turn affects adolescents’ psychological functioning and sleep. Therefore, sleep problems in adolescents may mirror an unfavorable parenting style and sleep complaints among mothers. These conclusions might usefully inform family counseling and treatment of adults’ and adolescents’ sleep complaints.

Keywords: Adolescents, Parents, Sleep patterns, Parenting style, Family, SEM

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PII: S1389-9457(09)00135-X

doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2008.12.013

Sleep Medicine
Volume 10, Issue 10 , Pages 1124-1131, December 2009

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