The Parent’s Chronotype and Child’s Sleeping Quality in Association with Relationship Satisfaction

Abstract

The prospective Ulm-SPATZ study was investigated to assess the role of child sleeping quality between 4 to 6 years of age in affecting a partner’s sleeping and relationship satisfaction within a couple. The study was conducted using a triadic approach in which the child was included in the Actor-Partner-Interdependence Model (APIM). Sleeping quality of the child was determined by using the German version of the children’s sleep habits questionnaire, sleeping features of the parents were assessed by using the Munich chronotype questionnaire, and the partner relationship assessment was performed by employing the German version of the parenting stress index questionnaire. In 211 German triads, we observed that sleeping characteristics and partner relationship scores at different child ages are consistent for both men and women. Higher and statistically significant sleep duration, time spent in bed, the midpoint of sleep, time getting out of bed, and sleep onset in women compared to men during the working days were observed. The APIM analyses showed a significant direct effect of child sleep quality on the partner relationship satisfaction. In women, a mediated effect of child sleep quality acted through sleep duration and time spent in bed on the partner relationship satisfaction score during both free and working days. In men, low child sleep quality was found to be associated with increased sleep onset during both free and working days. Child sleep quality influences relationship satisfaction mostly in mothers, likely because of their higher involvement in childcare during working days. Distress in the couple could be counteracted by a major involvement of the fathers in child management.