Contribution of the Brief Family Strength-Oriented Therapeutic Conversation Intervention to Early Childhood Sleep Health: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
Erla Kolbrun Svavarsdottir, Kristin Bjorg Flygerning, Anna Olafia Sigurdardottir
PMID 39949127WHAT IT FOUND
57 caregivers of infants with sleep problems reported better sleep beliefs, family support, and quality of life after a nurse-led family conversation intervention.
Night-time sleep habits and longest night sleep also improved, but there was no control group.
Key findings
01Caregivers' sleep pattern beliefs increased from 22.60 to 26.60, and total perceived family support increased from 29.70 to 51.40 on the study's scales.
02After the intervention, caregivers reported more infants falling asleep while fed with milk or on their own, and fewer falling asleep while rocked or walked around.
03The longest sleep period at night increased after the intervention, but daytime nap outcomes did not change.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
No control group or randomisation: every participant received the intervention, so before-after changes cannot be separated from natural change over time or other factors. Small sample: only 57 caregivers completed both time points. High attrition: of 147 invited, 54 did not answer baseline, 11 canceled before intervention, and 25 did not answer after intervention. The intervention combined a face-to-face session and phone sessions, and the study did not test the contribution of any single component. Outcomes were based on caregiver questionnaires and reports, not objective sleep monitoring. Participants were mostly Icelandic-speaking, university-educated, married or cohabiting mothers, so generalizability is limited. Short follow-up: only pre and post measurements, no longitudinal follow-up. Only one primary caregiver was assessed, not both parents.
Declared interests
Authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. Funding came from grants at Landspitali University Hospital and the Icelandic Nursing Association.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that the FAM-SOTC intervention improves infant sleep compared with usual care. It had no control group, a small sample, short follow-up, and caregiver-reported outcomes.