Association between children's sleep patterns and problematic behaviors at age 5.

BACKGROUND: Night-shift lifestyles affect children as well as adults, and are associated with sleep and behavioral problems among children. This study aimed to investigate associations among sleep patterns, individual/environmental factors, and problematic behaviors in children at age 5 years. METHODS: Data for sleep patterns, individual/environmental factors and problematic behaviors for 8,689 5-year-old children were collected from health checkup records. Problematic behaviors investigated were anxious behavior (being afraid, difficulty being separated from the mother), developmental behavior (violence, restlessness, rebellious behavior, restrictive diet, stereotypic play), personal habits (thumb-sucking, nail-biting, tic, masturbation), and excretory problems. The relationships between sleep patterns (bedtime, sleep duration) and the presence of these behaviors were analyzed. Individual/environmental factors that affected problematic behaviors were statistically identified using a tree form model. RESULTS: Late bedtime and short sleep duration showed significant adverse effects on children's problematic behaviors (odds ratio [OR]: 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.11 and: OR 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.97, respectively). Long television watching time, abnormality at birth, and lack of father's support also showed significant adverse effects on problematic behaviors (OR 2.34, 95% CI: 1.87-2.94), and significantly affected late bedtime and short sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: There were significant associations among sleep patterns, individual/environmental factors, and problematic behaviors in 5-year-old children. Improving children's sleep patterns, reducing the duration of television watching, and improving support from father may reduce problematic behaviors.