Aims: The main aim of this research was to add depth of understanding and a human voice to existing research on the maternal experience of having a child with night-time sleep difficulties. It was hoped that this increased understanding could be used by counselling psychologists, not only in their own clinical practice but also when supporting physical health practitioners who have direct contact with this client group. Method: Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers who had children over the age of one who were experiencing night-time sleep difficulties. The interviews were transcribed and analysed in accordance with grounded theory methods. A constructivist version of grounded theory was utilised as outlined by Charmaz (2006). Analysis: A central story line of ‘no choice but to function’ emerged. This refers to the place where these mothers found themselves after attempts to solve their child’s sleep problem had proved ineffective, and describes a state of both ‘coping’ and immense struggle. A number of categories were identified which contribute to this central storyline. A process was identified that outlined the stages that all participants moved through as they encountered and adapted to this experience. Personal Conflicts were also identified which described the experience and impact of fatigue, uncertainty and conflicting emotions. Categories of Responsibility and Isolation also emerged and were found to potentially lead to many personal needs not being met iii and a lack of engagement with support (including that of health professionals). Furthermore, a category of Coping highlighted not only the participants’ reflections on how they coped but also potential future avenues of support. Conclusion: The aims of this research were met with a deeper understanding of this population being obtained and a human voice being added to the existing research on this subject. Findings from this research offer a theoretical model which highlights not only the physical, emotional and systemic struggles encountered by the participants that were interviewed, but also provides suggestions based on these findings for future research and clinical practice.

<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Previous work demonstrates a link between poor child sleep and increased caregiver mental health symptoms. In particular, children with NGS are known to experience severe and persistent sleep difficulties. Few studies have examined the association between child sleep disturbances and caregiver internalizing symptoms across families affected by neurogenic syndromes. More specifically, no study has examined how sleep disturbances in children diagnosed with NGS impact caregiver internalizing symptoms severity across development (from infancy to school-age children), using a longitudinal framework and multilevel analyses<em>. </em>Thus, the current study aims to test the effect of child sleep duration on caregiver mental health changes over the course of development (child age, from infancy to school-age children) in a mixed cohort of families affected by neurogenetic syndromes and a sub-group of neurotypical children. <strong>Method: </strong>A total of 193 caregivers were recruited, via web-based support groups, syndrome research registries, and social networks, as part of a broader longitudinal study, the Early Phenotype Study. To measure child sleep duration and caregiver internalizing symptoms, parents completed the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, respectively, at each time point yielding a total of 718 observations. Separate multilevel models were conducted for caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress in relation to child sleep duration at the between- and the within-person level with child age as a moderator. <strong>Results: </strong>Results of the present study revealed a between-person main effect of child sleep duration on caregiver symptoms of depression and a within-person effect of child sleep duration on stress symptoms in caregivers. The moderating effect of child age was not statistically significant across models. <strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, findings of the current study support previous literature and suggest child sleep duration may provide us with information on who may be at greater risk of exhibiting greater symptoms of depression, drawing the importance of focusing on improving child sleep duration as a way to reduce caregiver mental health challenges. </p>