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Psychological Pathways Linking Parent–Child Relationships to Objective and Subjective Sleep Among Older Adults
[Family relationships and troubled sleep among U.S. adults: Examining the influences of contact frequency and relationship quality]

Author

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  • Haowei Wang
  • Kyungmin Kim
  • Jeffrey A Burr
  • Bei Wu
  • Lynn Martire

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study investigated whether older adults with better relationships with their adult children have better subjective and objective sleep quality than older adults with less-positive relationships with their children. We also examined whether depressive symptoms and loneliness mediated the association between parent–child relationships and sleep among older adults.MethodsData were used from the second wave of the National Social life, Health, and Aging Project, in which 548 respondents (aged 62–90) participated in the sleep survey to measure their actigraph sleep activity for three consecutive days. Respondents also reported sleep quality (i.e., sleep duration and insomnia symptoms), contact frequency, and emotional closeness with their children.ResultsResults from structural equation modeling showed that greater emotional closeness with children was directly associated with better objective sleep characteristics (i.e., sleep fragmentation and amount of sleep). Also, more frequent contact with children was directly related to fewer insomnia symptoms among older adults. Moreover, emotional closeness with children was indirectly linked to insomnia symptoms via depressive symptoms among older adults.DiscussionThis study provided evidence for psychological pathways linking parent–child relationships and older parents’ subjective sleep. The findings have implications for health professionals and family counselors who help people with sleep problems and relationship difficulties.

Suggested Citation

  • Haowei Wang & Kyungmin Kim & Jeffrey A Burr & Bei Wu & Lynn Martire, 2021. "Psychological Pathways Linking Parent–Child Relationships to Objective and Subjective Sleep Among Older Adults [Family relationships and troubled sleep among U.S. adults: Examining the influences o," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 76(10), pages 1972-1982.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:76:y:2021:i:10:p:1972-1982.
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Russell A. Ward, 2008. "Multiple Parent–Adult Child Relations and Well-Being in Middle and Later Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 63(4), pages 239-247.
    2. Leonard I. Pearlin, 2010. "The Life Course and the Stress Process: Some Conceptual Comparisons," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 65(2), pages 207-215.
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