The prospective Ulm-SPATZ study was investigated to assess the role of child sleeping
quality between 4 to 6 years of age in affecting a partner’s sleeping and relationship satisfaction
within a couple. The study was conducted using a triadic approach in which the child was included
in the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model (APIM). Sleeping quality of the child was determined by
using the German version of the children’s sleep habits questionnaire, sleeping features of the parents
were assessed by using the Munich chronotype questionnaire, and the partner relationship assessment
was performed by employing the German version of the parenting stress index questionnaire. In 211
German triads, we observed that sleeping characteristics and partner relationship scores at different
child ages are consistent for both men and women. Higher and statistically significant sleep duration,
time spent in bed, the midpoint of sleep, time getting out of bed, and sleep onset in women compared
to men during the working days were observed. The APIM analyses showed a significant direct
effect of child sleep quality on the partner relationship satisfaction. In women, a mediated effect of
child sleep quality acted through sleep duration and time spent in bed on the partner relationship
satisfaction score during both free and working days. In men, low child sleep quality was found to
be associated with increased sleep onset during both free and working days. Child sleep quality
influences relationship satisfaction mostly in mothers, likely because of their higher involvement in
childcare during working days. Distress in the couple could be counteracted by a major involvement
of the fathers in child management.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:89593 |
| Date | 07 February 2024 |
| Creators | Ricci, Cristian, Parra-Robledo, Zaida, Rothenbacher, Dietrich, Diaz-Morales, Juan Francisco, Genuneit, Jon |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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