Association of natural transition of night wakings with emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children

YANG Zihan; DENG Yujiao; LIU Jieqiong; ZHU Qi; ZHAO Jin; ZHANG Yunting; WANG Guanghai; JIANG Fan

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2024-1350

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2025, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (11) : 1191-1195. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2024-1350

Original Articles

Association of natural transition of night wakings with emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children

YANG Zihan¹, DENG Yujiao², LIU Jieqiong^3,4,5, ZHU Qi³, ZHAO Jin^6,7, ZHANG Yunting⁷, WANG Guanghai^3,4,5,6, JIANG Fan^1,3,4,5,6,7

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Abstract

Objective To explore the natural transition of night wakings(NWs) problems in preschoolers and their association with emotional and behavioral problems, in order to provide theoretical basis for comprehensively promoting the sleep and mental health of preschool children. Methods Using the stratified cluster random sample method, a sample of preschoolers from 16 districts in Shanghai was recruited for baseline investigation in November 2016, and follow-up visit was in April 2019 before graduation.Children′s Sleep Habits Questionnaire was used to assess NWs and the natural transition, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess children′s emotional and behavioral problems(EBPs) reported by primary caregivers.Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the correlation between natural transition of NWs and EBPs. Results A total of 17 194 children completed both surveys.The prevalence of frequent NWs at entry and graduation years was 8.01% and 4.26%, respectively.Children were categorized into four groups based on their natural transition of NWs, including 88.63% in the no NWs group, 7.11% in the disappeared NWs group, 3.36% in the incident NWs group, and 0.90% in the persistent NWs group.Compared with the no NWs group, the disappeared NWs group (OR=1.43, 95%CI:1.21-1.69), the incident NWs group (OR=3.98, 95%CI:3.29-4.82) and the persistent NWs group (OR=2.66, 95%CI:1.82-3.88) exhibited a higher risk of EBPs (P＜0.001). Conclusion Persistent or incident NWs problems, are associated with the increase risk of EBPs, suggesting that early and comprehensive intervention should be carried out to promote the sleep and mental health.

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night wakings / sleep / emotional and behavioral problems / preschoolers

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YANG Zihan, DENG Yujiao, LIU Jieqiong, ZHU Qi, ZHAO Jin, ZHANG Yunting, WANG Guanghai, JIANG Fan. Association of natural transition of night wakings with emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2025, 33(11): 1191-1195 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2024-1350

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