2017 Volume 24 Issue 1 Pages 13-21
Objectives: Previous studies have indicated that a collapse in caregivers’ life rhythms leads to sleep irregularity among children, which affects their growth and development. In addition, irregularity in children’s sleep patterns may relate to caregivers’ stress. Thus, the present study examined the relationship between children’s sleep rhythm and distress among working caregivers.
Methods: Caregivers who had entrusted their children to 21 nursery schools in Japan were recruited to take part in this survey from April 2014 to March 2015. The questionnaires were distributed to 593 caregivers with 5-to 6-year-old children who were attending the nursery schools at the time of investigation, and were responded by 404. Working caregivers distress was the dependent variable and children’s sleep rhythms, work load, loss of self-confidence in childcare, gender, and family structure were independent variables. To determine which factors significantly influenced working caregivers distress, we analyzed the data first via chi-square test and then via multiple logistic regression analysis to calculate the odds ratio of each variable. The family structure was examined in two models.
Results: We analyzed the valid data of 350 working mothers. According to the multiple logistic regression analysis, in the model1, the odds ratios of working caregivers distress were 3.10 for loss of self-confidence in childcare, 2.34 for work load, and 1.97 for children’s sleep rhythms. In the model2, the odds ratios of working caregivers distress were 3.12 for loss of self-confidence in childcare, 2.39 for family structure, 2.33 for work load, and 1.93 for children’s sleep rhythms.
Conclusion: We determined a clear relationship between children’s sleep rhythms and working caregivers distress. Thus, ensuring that children have regular sleep rhythms may be important not only for their growth and development but also for stress management of working caregivers.
