Background: Although most infants consolidate their sleep habits during the first year of life, for many children, sleep is described as disrupted during toddlerhood. Along with individual child variables such as temperamental characteristics, parenting behaviors play a key role in determining children’s sleep–wake patterns. The aims of the current study were to evaluate the relationship among toddlers’ sleep quality, emotion regulation, bedtime routines, parental bedtime involvement, parental perceived social support and stress, and to integrate a novel combination of the aforementioned dimensions into predictive models of toddlers’ sleep quality and parental stress. Methods: One hundred and sixty parents with 2–3-year-old children filled out the following self-report questionnaires: the Parent–Child Sleep Interaction Scale; the Emotion Regulation Checklist; the Social Provisions Scale; and an ad-hoc questionnaire to assess parental involvement in everyday and bedtime care for children. Three multiple regression analyses were conducted by regressing maternal and paternal parenting stress and infant’s quality sleep onto the independent variables described above. Results: Toddlers’ emotion regulation and parental psychosocial functioning were related to parental stress. Toddlers’ night awakenings and the time required by toddlers to fall asleep were related to parental distress. Conclusions: The findings evidenced the bidirectional associations among the studied variables, highlighting the protective role of social support in reducing parenting stress and of paternal bedtime involvement in improving toddlers’ sleep quality.

Parenting children with developmental disabilities (DD) can be generally characterized by a considerable psychological burden. The effects on parental and familial psychological well-being and, consequently, on children’s developmental outcomes should not be underestimated, especially in early childhood. The current review aims to advance our understanding of the key factors (e.g., formats, sample characteristics, research design) that characterize parent training interventions, and that could be related to their outcomes, to guide researchers and clinical practitioners to develop and provide efficient programs. Studies were identified via an Internet search from three electronic databases, following PRIMSA guidelines. Studies published until November 2021 were taken into account. The initial search yielded a total of 2475 studies. Among them, 101 studies were fully reviewed. Finally, ten of the studies, which met all the inclusion criteria, formed the basis for this review. Participants’ characteristics, main features of the interventions (i.e., study design, structure, and contents), outcome variables and treatment efficacy were deeply examined and discussed. Key factors of parent training interventions with parents of children affected by DD are enlightened, to guide researchers and clinicians in the design and implementation of tailored specific programs, aimed to sustain parenting and foster children’s developmental outcomes, from early stages of life.

Sensitive caregiver–child interactions appear fundamental throughout childhood, supporting infants’ wellbeing and development not only in a familial context but in professional caregiving as well. The main aim of this review was to examine the existing literature about Early Childhood Education Context (ECEC) intervention studies dedicated to caregiver–child interaction, fostering children’s socioemotional developmental pathways. Studies published between January 2007 and July 2021 were identified in four electronic databases following PRIMSA guidelines. The initial search yielded a total of 342 records. Among them, 48 studies were fully reviewed. Finally, 18 of them met all inclusion criteria and formed the basis for this review. Main factors characterizing implemented programs were recorded (e.g., intervention and sample characteristics, dimensions of the teacher–child interaction targeted by the intervention, outcome variables, main results) in order to frame key elements of ECE intervention programs. Our review points to a range of fundamental issues that should consider to enhance ECEC interventions’ efficacy, supporting children’s socioemotional development and caregiver–child interaction. Reflections and considerations for future research are provided.

Parental self-efficacy is recognized as a core element of the transition to parenthood process. It affects parental mental health, as well as children's psychosocial, neurodevelopmental and health outcomes since early infancy. Parents with higher parenting self-efficacy have a higher likelihood of engaging in quality parenting practices that support optimal self-regulation development in children. Our study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Italian TOPSE-Short Form (I-TOPSE-SF) questionnaire. 673 Italian mothers (Mage=37.5; SD=5.7) of children aging 0 to 6 years (Mage=3.9; SD=1.7) were involved in this study. Initial results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis highlighted that the fit indices of the hypothesized 6-factor structure of the TOPSE weren't satisfactory. Acceptable internal consistencies for the total score and the six dimensions of the measure were observed. Evidence for convergent and divergent validity were provided. The I-TOPSE-SF could be a valuable tool to assess parental self-efficacy up to school age, but it is in need of further considerations about its measurement properties.