Background: Children with neurodevelopmental disorders have a high percentage of sleep issues. Their parents suffer more from mental health problems like stress, anxiety, and depression than parents of typically developing children.

Aim: To investigate the link between mental health problems in parents and sleep issues in children with CP, ASD, and ADHD.

Method: Databases of PsycINFO, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed were searched to find eligible records. Studies needed to include children under 18 years old with CP, ASD, or ADHD and their parents, a measurement to assess sleep issues in children, and a measurement for assessing mental health issues in parents.

Results: Eight studies were evaluated (two CP, four ASD, and two ADHD). Sleep problems in children were assessed in all studies subjectively by parent reports. All records (seven cross-sectional, one longitudinal) examined parenting for mental health issues self-reported by questionnaires. Seven of eight studies showed associations, of varying strengths between parental mental health problems and sleep issues in children. 

Conclusion: Parental mental health problems are associated with sleep issues in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (CP, ASD, and ADHD).

Implications: In the future, more studies using multiple measures of sleep disturbances in children and parental mental health and functioning, are needed to better clarify the direction of the association which helps to conduct appropriate early interventions (e.g., biobehavioral interventions) to improve family functioning and children's development.