Study Summary
It is essential to note that there is limited research on examining and analyzing the factors that contribute to sleep issues among preschool children. Due to this gap in the literature, Tyler et al. (2019) conducted a study to assess and investigate how different parenting styles, as well as parental psychological distress, affect children’s sleep quality. Tyler et al. (2019) studied 232 young children aged between three and five years old.
Tyler et al. (2019) employed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, the Parenting Style and Dimensions Questionnaire (Short Version), and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire. The key parenting styles analyzed were permissive, authoritative, and authoritarian parenting. Tyler et al. (2019) found that only permissive parenting was a major mediator of the relationship between sleep problems among preschool children and parental distress. In addition, Tyler et al. (2019) state that these children’s issues with sleep were significantly impacted by the overall psychological distress experienced by their parents. Thus, parents under high psychological distress tend to utilize permissive parenting more often, which leads to poorer sleep among preschool children.
Commentary
Sleep is essential for human well-being, and it is even more crucial for young children, who are actively developing and growing both cognitively and physically. Sleep deprivation can make children irritable and emotionally unstable, which hinders their social development. In the case of cognitive development, young children’s memory and other cognitive functions are dependent on sleep, which is why their deprivation can halt their attention focus and retention. Tyler et al. (2019) state that mood swings, anxiety, and irritability are direct results of poor sleep; hence, children need to have sufficient sleep to properly develop emotionally.
One of the most fitting theorists to relate these findings to is John Bowlby, who formulated the Attachment Theory. Bowlby believed that a child’s development is profoundly influenced by their attachment to their primary caregiver – their parents. According to his theory, children develop a sense of security and trust based on the responsiveness and availability of their caregiver (Allen, 2023). The inconsistent or absent boundaries that are common in permissive parenting can create a confusing environment for the child.
The article can be categorized as good research because it exposes the adverse effects of permissive parenting and parental psychological distress on preschool children’s sleep quality. Tyler et al. (2019) stated that authoritative parenting and authoritarian parenting were not linked to sleep problems; however, they might have overlooked how these parenting styles counteract or improve sleep quality. Observing purely sleep problem associations is different from measuring sleep quality.
The conclusions are valid because young children may not have sufficient emotional development to recognize their own tiredness and need for sleep, as sleepiness itself can cause irritability. It is up to parents to authoritatively control their young children’s sleep schedules, as they cannot maintain them independently, and permissive parenting often fails at this critical task. A research project suggestion is to analyze the impact of authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles on the sleep quality of preschool children.
Personal Opinion
My conclusion is that parents under high psychological distress, parents using permissive parenting styles, or both can contribute to their preschool children’s sleep problems. From my perspective, preschool children are in the developmental stage that requires stricter disciplining – the main reason is that they are incapable of self-management at this stage. Maintaining a proper sleep schedule is a challenge for many adults, making it even more difficult for young children to do so. I would recommend it for others to read, especially parents, because they would benefit from using stricter parenting when it comes to their children’s sleep management.
References
Allen, B. (2023). The science and clinical practice of attachment theory: A guide from infancy to adulthood. American Psychological Association.
Tyler, D., Donovan, C. L., Scupham, S., Shiels, A. L., & Weaver, S. A. (2019). Young children’s sleep problems: The impact of parental distress and parenting style. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 28, 2098–2106.