The influence of infant sleep problems and sleep training on maternal subjective well-being.

Background: Disturbed sleep during infancy and early childhood can have a detrimental effect on parental sleep and consequently parental well-being. However, there is a paucity of research on how perceived child sleep problems and behavioural sleep interventions as treatment influence maternal subjective well-being. Aim: This study aimed to explore the incidence of subjective well-being in mothers of children with sleep problems and whether implementing two behavioural sleep interventions changed their well-being. Setting: The research was conducted in a community setting, with parents voluntarily approaching a sleep consultancy based in South Africa. Method: Using data from 119 mothers voluntarily approaching a sleep consultancy in South Africa, a pre-test-post-test design was employed to investigate changes in life satisfaction, affect, couple satisfaction, perceived stress and depression approximately 3 weeks after implementation of a sleep intervention. Results: Results indicate that mothers of children with sleep problems experienced moderate to high life satisfaction and positive affect although the presence of moderate negative affect, couple satisfaction and stress and mild depression suggest possible decreased subjective well-being. Conclusion: Findings suggest implementation of graduated extinction and extinction with parental presence sleep interventions may improve life satisfaction, affect, stress and depression but not couple satisfaction in the short-term. Contribution: This study contributes towards understanding the effect of sleep loss on the subjective well-being of mothers and provides preliminary evidence regarding the benefits of two sleep interventions for improving maternal subjective well-being.

Parental experiences of subjective well-being in the context of infant sleep problems.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored parental experiences of subjective well-being in the context of infant sleep problems. BACKGROUND: Although quantitative research has highlighted the deleterious impact of infant sleep problems for parental well-being broadly, little is known about subjective experiences of well-being specifically. METHOD: This retrospective qualitative study formed part of a larger multiphase project. Ten parents who approached a sleep consultancy for assistance with infant sleep problems participated in the study. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and results were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Two key themes were identified: (1) the negative influences of insufficient sleep on parental subjective well-being, and (2) the indirect influence of infant sleep problems on parental subjective well-being. Participants highlighted the direct influence of insufficient sleep on their life satisfaction, affect and mood. Further, through its impact on infant well-being and behaviour, and the loss of free time, infant sleep problems indirectly negatively influenced parental subjective well-being. As a result, life satisfaction and affect was deleteriously influenced. CONCLUSION: Parental subjective well-being may be deleteriously influenced by infant sleep problems, both directly through insufficient sleep and indirectly through the impact of infant sleep problems.