Determinants of children’s sleep behavior: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

Background: Healthy sleep behavior (i.e. adequate sleep duration, good sleep quality and healthy bedtime routines) is of significant importance for numerous health outcomes in children, such as psychosocial health, obesity and social development. To develop evidence-based interventions targeting healthy sleep behavior, insight in the determinants of child sleep behavior is urgently needed. Hence, our objective is to systematically review the literature on determinants of sleep behavior in children 4-12 years of age. Methods: Studies were identified from searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, until January 2017. We included longitudinal studies investigating the association between healthy sleep behavior and its determinants in healthy children aged 4-12 years. In total 10,892 articles were identified and 52 full text articles were included. Included articles were scored on their methodological quality and the results were summarized with a best-evidence synthesis. The guidelines of the PRISMA statement were followed. Findings: Several demographic (i.e. age, gender, socioeconomic status), biological (i.e. BMI, puberty), social (i.e. marital conflict, parent-child relationships, parental practices), and environmental factors (i.e. media exposure) were identified as determinants of children’s sleep behavior. Discussion: Interventions that promote healthy child sleep behavior should take into account the identified demographic, social and environmental determinants.