Co‐sleeping: Help or hindrance for young children's independence?

This study investigated the relationship between sleep arrangements and claims regarding possible problems and benefits related to co‐sleeping. Participants were 83 mothers of preschool‐aged children. Data were collected through parent questionnaires. Early co‐sleepers (who began co‐sleeping in infancy), reactive co‐sleepers (children who began co‐sleeping at or after age one), and solitary sleepers were compared on the dimensions of maternal attitudes toward sleep arrangements; night wakings and bedtime struggles; children's self‐reliance and independence in social and sleep‐related behaviours; and maternal autonomy support. The hypothesis that co‐sleeping would interfere with children's independence was partially supported: solitary sleepers fell asleep alone, slept through the night, and weaned earlier than the co‐sleepers. However, early co‐sleeping children were more self‐reliant (e.g. ability to dress oneself) and exhibited more social independence (e.g. make friends by oneself). Mothers of early co‐sleeping children were least favourable toward solitary sleep arrangements and most supportive of their child's autonomy, as compared to mothers in other sleep groups. Reactive co‐sleepers emerged as a distinct co‐sleeping sub‐type, with parents reporting frequent night wakings and, contrary to early co‐sleepers, experiencing these night wakings as highly disruptive. Implications for parents and pediatricians are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

电针影响脑电和睡眠及心境的研究

本研究的目的是．探讨电针对脑电和被试主观感觉(困倦、心境)的影响。我们对24位健康志愿者施以电针．4—6小时后脑电测量表明．θ波的相对功率在额、颞区呈增加趋势．其中Fp1、Fp2、F3、F4、C3、C4,F7、F8、T5显著增加;α波的相对功率呈减少趋势,其中αI相对功率在左侧额、颞区Fp1、F3、F7、T5显著减少;α2．在F4、C3、C4,O1和T3显著减少;β频段的相对功率有增有减．其中β1在C3、C4显著减少,在O2、T3、T4显著增加;β2的相对功率在F3、C3显著减少,O1、O2T4、T5、T6显著增加。电针后的问卷调查表明,多数被试有困感,电针对睡眠深度、睡眠时间、醒来次数以及晨间心境有不同程度影响。     

睡眠和记忆之间关系的研究

睡眠和记忆是人类重要的功能．人们对于二者之间的关系一直非常感兴趣、本文综述了近年来睡眠和记忆之间关系研究的主要成果,从动物和人的不同角度进行讨论．并进一步综述了近年有关事件相关电位和功能成像等的研究成果．在有关人的探讨中,进一步讨沦了快波睡眠,慢波睡眠、睡眠的组织、睡眠缺失等对记忆的影响、     

The developmental change in strategies parents employ to settle young children to sleep,and their relationship to infant sleeping problems,as assessed by a new questionnaire: the Parental Interactive Bedtime Behaviour Scale

The development of a new parental self‐report questionnaire, the Parental Interactive Bedtime Behaviour Scale (PIBBS) is described. The PIBBS was designed to capture a wide range of parental behaviours used to settle infants off to sleep. The commonest behaviours employed were giving a feed, talking softly to the child, cuddling in the arms, and stroking. A factor analysis revealed five settling strategies; ‘active physical comforting’ (e.g. cuddling in arms); ‘encouraging infant autonomy’ (e.g. leaving to cry); ‘movement’ (e.g. car rides), ‘passive physical comforting’ (e.g. standing next to the cot without picking the infant up), and ‘social comforting’ (e.g. reading a story). Excessive ‘active physical comforting’ and reduced ‘encourage autonomy’ strategy use was associated with infant sleeping problems. Regarding developmental change in strategy between 1 and 2 years, the later the onset at which ‘encourage autonomy’ became the principal strategy used, the more likely that persistent infant sleeping problems would be present. Factors accounting for the change in strategy use over time were: (i) parental adaptation to infant developmental maturation; (ii) the interaction between maternal cognition and strategy, and, to a lesser extent; (iii) the interaction between infant temperament and parental strategy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A RAPID METHOD FOR EVALUATING THE NECESSITY FOR BOTH A BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AND METHYLPHENIDATE

We examined the effects of a behavioral intervention and methylphenidate (MPH) on inappropriate behavior and sleep disturbance displayed by a 6-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Results showed that the behavioral intervention was effective in reducing inappropriate behaviors to near-zero levels regardless of the presence or absence of MPH.     

Treatment of Young Children's Bedtime Refusal and Nighttime Wakings: A Comparison of “Standard” and Graduated Ignoring Procedures

Young children with sleep problems received either standard or graduated ignoring treatment. Both brief treatments were superior to a wait-list control condition and resulted in comparable improvements in bedtime and nighttime sleep problems. At bedtime, the treatments did not differ with respect to maternal compliance and stress. For nighttime wakings, mothers in the graduated ignoring group reported higher rates of compliance and less treatment-related stress. Maternal characteristics predicted treatment outcome in the standard ignoring condition. Following treatment, only positive side effects were observed. When compared to the wait-list group, mothers in the standard ignoring group reported less verbose discipline and decreased stress in parenting, while mothers in the graduated ignoring group reported improved parent–child relationships. Treatment gains were maintained over a 2-month follow-up period.     

A FADED BEDTIME WITH RESPONSE COST PROTOCOL FOR TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SLEEP PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN

The sleep-wake cycles of 4 developmentally delayed individuals with longstanding severe sleep disturbances were regulated using a faded bedtime procedure with response cost. Bedtimes were systematically delayed for each individual, thus increasing the probability of short latency to sleep onset. The response cost component, consisting of removing the individual from bed for 1 hour, was implemented when an individual did not experience short latency to sleep onset. A fading procedure was then applied successfully to advance the bedtimes and to gradually increase durations of sleep. Specifically, all 4 individuals had decreased amounts of nighttime sleep that increased following treatment. Two of the 4 individuals showed excessive daytime sleep that decreased following treatment. Three of the 4 individuals experienced decreases in night wakings following treatment. Both environmental and biological manipulations of the sleep-wake cycle are hypothesized as mechanisms of treatment. The relative advantages of this procedure over other procedures for the treatment of pediatric sleep disorders are discussed, as are directions for future research.     

The effects of sleep disruption on the treatment of a feeding disorder

We evaluated the effects of sleep disruption on the mealtime behavior of a young boy with developmental disabilities. Results showed that bite acceptance was less likely to persist during meals following disrupted sleep, but only when escape extinction was not implemented. Findings are discussed in terms of establishing operations and the effects of sleep disruption on the assessment and treatment of feeding problems.