1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«Le but de cette étude [est] triple: […] déterminer si l’anxiété de séparation prédit les terreurs nocturnes et le somnambulisme entre 1,5 et 6 ans[,] examiner si l’anxiété de séparation est toujours associée aux parasomnies après avoir tenu compte de l’anxiété générale [et] rechercher d’éventuelles différences entre les sexes dans ces associations.» (p. 16)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«Cette recherche fait partie de l’Étude longitudinale des enfants du Québec (ÉLDEQ, Canada), dirigée par l’Institut de la statistique du Québec. L’échantillon initial comprenait 2223 familles d’enfants de 5 mois, suivis chaque année par la suite. L’anxiété de séparation et les scores d’anxiété générale ont été mesurés entre l’âge de 1,5 et 6 ans[.]» (p. 16)

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

«[R]esults show that separation anxiety was associated with night terror and sleepwalking at ages 1.5 to 6 years old, even after controlling for general anxiety, and that the associations were similar for boys and girls. Separation anxiety issues in early childhood could thus be a target for preventing and reducing night terrors and sleepwalking manifestations in preschoolers.» (p. 17) «These results also underline the importance of considering parental interactions with the child resulting from separation anxiety in order to potentially help reducing the intensity of night terrors and sleepwalking manifestations. Attachment representations are the result of parent–child interactions […]. [Moreover], clinical observation suggests that pre-sleep routine and bedtime schedule is often a source of separation anxiety in children, little empirical attention has been devoted to understanding the nature of these associations. Children who go to bed early and who are not sleepy at this time stay alone in bed for a long time; this situation could increase their anxiety and insecurity. Separation anxiety related to pre-sleep routine before bedtime will be less present in societies where children go to bed later. Indeed, the improved secure attachment may strengthen the child’s feeling of security and thus help the child to separate from the parent with less distress […], and indirectly reduce the intensity of sleep terrors and sleepwalking manifestations.» (p. 30)