Fathers and sleep: A systematic literature review of bidirectional links between paternal factors and children’s sleep in the first three years of life

During childhood, sleep problems are a common concern for parents and families. The literature on children’s sleep documents a strong association between parental factors and infant sleep quality. However, most studies have only examined maternal attitudes and behaviors. To systematically identify and assess the existing literature on the role of fathers in children’s sleep over the first three years of life. Studies were identified from January 1993 to July 2020 in four electronic databases, following PRIMSA guidelines. The initial search yielded a total of 657 records. Fifty-nine studies were full review, and 26 studies met all inclusion criteria and formed the basis for the review. Studies were divided into thematic groups as a function of the paternal variables they investigated: Extrinsic Parenting factors, Parent-child Interaction Context, and Distal Environmental Influences. This review points up a range of paternal variables that can represent risk or protective factors for child sleep. Our results may help parents and healthcare practitioners to identify evidence-based knowledge about sleep. Furthermore, identifying paternal factors that contribute to sleep problems can usefully inform the design of individualized interventions.