Sleep quality and depression in mothers of children with epilepsy and its relation to their children's sleep

• Published in: Epilepsy & behavior Vol. 149; p. 109493
• Main Authors: Yücel, Gül, Kadir Arslan, Ahmet, Özgör, Bilge, Güngör, Serdal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - complications; Epilepsy - complications; Female; Humans; Mothers; Seizures - complications; Sleep; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Sleep Quality; Sleep Wake Disorders - complications; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sleep quality; Depression; Maternal sleep disturbance; Children with epilepsy; Pediatric
• ISSN: 1525-5050; 1525-5069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109493

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep disturbances in children with epilepsy (CWE) and maternal sleep quality and depression severity. A Cross-sectional study was conducted in pediatric sleep disturbances using questionnaires on mother-reported sleep of CWE [Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ)], maternal sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)], and maternal depression status [Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS)]. 114 dyads consisting of CWE and their mothers were included in this study. Over three-quarters (78.9 %) of mothers reported poor sleep quality (total PSQI score ≥ 5), and nearly a third (29.8 %) met clinical criteria for moderate or severe depression levels. The mothers' total PSQI scores were between 5.93 ± 2.44 (range: 2-16 points). The most affected PSQI subcomponents were sleep latency (AUC = 0.826p < 0.001) and daytime dysfunction (AUC = 0.800p < 0.001). The majority of children (88.6 %) were stated by their mothers to have sleep-related problems. The total CSHQ scores of the children were between 49.06 ± 9.20 (range: 33-86 points). The most affected CSHQ subcomponents were detected sleep anxiety (AUC = 0.856, p < 0.001), bedtime resistance (AUC = 0.818, p < 0.001) and daytime sleepiness (AUC = 0.807, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between maternal sleep quality and depression severity (rho = 0.842; p < 0.001). A statistically significant positive moderate correlation was detected between sleep problems in CWE and maternal sleep quality and depression severity (rho = 0.406; p < 0.001, rho = 0.399; p < 0.001, respectively). As a result of multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis, the presence of seizures during sleep and generalized epileptiform discharges on electroencephalography were associated risk factors with poor maternal sleep quality (OR:6.6, p = 0.014; OR:11.5, p = 0.018, respectively). A borderline insignificant relationship was observed between a less than 50 % decrease in seizure frequency and the poor maternal sleep quality (OR:20.59p = 0.059). Seizures during sleep was associated risk factor with children's sleep disturbances (OR:7.2, p = 0.02). Sleep problems in CWE may lead to negative consequences such as sleep quality and/or depression in mothers. Interventions planned to correct sleep disturbances in mothers suggest that children's sleep problems should be optimally managed.