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Session Schedule

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0:00:00
Introduction

0:00:44
The interactive association of family- and neighbourhood- level factors on children and youth sleep outcomes
Katarina McKenzie (Canada)

0:19:44
The relationship between children’s napping patterns and teacher-child interactions in preschool classrooms in China (Presented on behalf of Hui Li, China)
Karen Thorpe (Australia)

0:35:10
Variability in childcare sleep environments and naptime-related provider attitudes and practices in Rhode Island, USA
Tayla von Ash (United States)

0:58:45
Social and environmental drivers of longitudinal sleep patterns in early childhood
Sally Staton (Australia)

0:19:00
Question and answer

Summary

Early sleep development is driven by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. While historically, research on children’s early sleep development has focused largely on parent sleep behaviors and the immediate sleep environment, there is increasing evidence that the social, economic and educational contexts in which children live, play and learn can influence children’s sleep. Understanding children’s sleep in context is important to (1) inform clinical practice and recommendations when working with children and families, (2) identify new opportunities for effective intervention for early sleep disruption, and (3) ensure sleep is increasingly recognized and addressed within education, social and health policy. This symposium draws together studies from across four countries. Each study provides a unique insight into the role of social environments on children’s early sleep development, and the importance of considering the diverse social, environmental and system context in which children live and sleep. First, we present research from Canada that explores the relationship between children’s sleep patterns and the complex interaction between family and neighborhood characteristics, including neighborhood antisocial behavior and poverty. Multi-level modelling analysis from the Ontario Child Health Study, a province-wide sample of N=10,802 children aged 4–11, youth aged 12–17 demonstrates the compound effect of family and neighborhood poverty on children’s sleep and highlights how social contexts can differentially influence child sleep outcomes. Second, we present research from China that examines the interplay between sleep policies and practices in early education settings and child sleep patterns. Direct in-situ observation data of N=536 children within preschool classrooms in Hubei Province provides new insights into sleep behaviors and classroom practices in preschool programs and the way in which cultural and educational expectations and practices can drive early sleep patterns. Third, we present research from the USA that focuses on the measurement of childcare sleep environments and opportunities for early intervention for sleep promotion within childcare settings. Taking a mixed methods approach, we share quantitative naptime observation and qualitative childcare provider interview data from N=20 childcare sites. This data, which highlights high variability in childcare sleep environments, provider practices and attitudes, has health equity implications. Finally, we present new evidence from an Australian longitudinal study examining the impact of social and environmental exposures on children’s sleep development. The Sleep Transitions and Regulatory Study is a prospective, longitudinal, objective study of N=240 children from 12-months to 4-years of age. This intensive study tracked children’s sleep, environmental and social context across a 3-year period including collection of monthly parent reports of child sleep, care arrangements and life events and 6-monthly objectively measured child sleep patterns and sleep and light environments. The results present new understanding of individual differences in sleep patterns and how social and physical environments may drive early sleep development. Collectively, our findings highlight the need for greater attention to cultural and contextual variations in sleep research and practice, and the potential to identify new social and environmental