Instrument development and an intervention to increase parents' self-efficacy regarding their infant’s sleep

Objective

Many Swedish parents experience that their infant has sleeping problems. Parents’ self-efficacy regarding their infants’ sleep may play an important role in how they perceive these problems. This pilot study aimed to develop an instrument measuring parents’ self-efficacy regarding their infant’s sleep and to examine if parents’ self-efficacy was affected by an intervention focusing on parental education.

Method

Mothers and fathers, at a maternity unit in Sweden, were drawn into either an intervention (n = 46) or a control (n = 42) group. The intervention group received a home visit from a nurse who provided information about infant sleep; the importance of attachment; and advice regarding sleep, breastfeeding and bed sharing, including guidelines for safe bed sharing. Three months later, the participants answered questions on background data, breastfeeding, sleep and self-efficacy.

Results

The 11-item two-factor Uppsala Parental Self-Efficacy about Infant Sleep Instrument (UPPSEISI) was constructed to measure parents’ perceived self-efficacy. In adjusted analyses, being in the intervention group was associated with a higher self-efficacy (P = 0.035), as were being a mother (P = 0.003) and being satisfied with one’s own sleep (P = 0.007), while parents’ own sleeping problems were associated with a lower self-efficacy (P = 0.015).

Conclusion

Importantly, parental education may increase parents’ self-efficacy regarding their infant’s sleep.