1001 IMPACT OF SELF REPORTED SLEEP PARAMETERS ON MATH AND READING COMPETENCE FOR CHILDREN RAISED BY GRANDMOTHERS

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 40; no. suppl_1; p. A372
• Main Authors: Littlewood, KA, Cooper, L, Strozier, A, McCrae, J, McCrae, C, Rosenthal, M, Hernandez, L, Pandey, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 28-04-2017
• Subjects: Caregivers; Reading; Sleep
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.1093/sleepj/zsx050.1000

Abstract
Introduction:
One in ten grandparents live with their grandchildren. Compared to their peers, significant academic achievement, cognitive, and language deficits have been found for children raised by grandparents. Furthermore, children who experience sleep disturbances and/or short sleep duration, are less likely to excel in academics. This study is the first to examine sleep duration and quality as it relates to math and reading competence for children raised by grandmothers.
Methods:
KIN Tech RCT twelve month follow up caregiver self-report data was used to examine sleep duration, quality and academic competence for 505 children raised by grandmothers. The MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire was used to assess math and reading competence. Short sleep(<6 hrs) and long sleep(>8 hrs) were coded and univariate, bivariate and ANOVAs were conducted.
Results:
505 grandmother caregivers from low SES households (mean=$27,000), middle-aged (mean=48.80 years), single (69%), African American (47%) caring for multiple relative children (65% caring for more than one child). 10% (n=50) of children don’t have health insurance, 30% (n=147) have health problems and 67% are taking medication. 21% (n=105) of children are short sleepers, 48% (n=242) long sleepers and 71.9% (n=363) have troubled sleep. 37.4% (n=189) of children have poor competence in math and 35.5% (n=179) reading. Children with more troubled sleep were less likely to do well in math and reading [[F(3, 501)=70.29 math; 58.17 reading, p=<.001]. Long sleep was associated with poorer math [F(1, 504)=12.00, p=.000] and poorer reading [F(1, 504)=9.39, p=.001]. Also, long sleep was associated with more medication usage [F(1, 504)= 10.69, p=000]. 25% (n=128) of children are prescribed medicine to help them sleep. This medication usage is associated with poorer math [F(4, 501)= 44.42, p=000] and reading [F(4, 501)= 44.16, p=000] competence.
Conclusion:
Although very little is known about how sleep is associated with academic competence for children raised by grandmother caregivers, this study suggests that troubled sleepers and long sleepers struggle with math and reading. More research is needed to develop interventions for grandparents to promote healthy sleep for the children in their care, especially to promote academic outcomes.
Support (If Any):
Grant #: HHS-2012-ACF-ACYF-CF-0510 (90CF0050).