"If sleep problems persist, this can correlate with problems in school, inattention and behavioral issues," Mannering said.
"Parents should be aware that stress in the marriage can potentially impact their child even at a very young age."
Researchers interviewed more than 350 families with adopted infants in order to eliminate the possibility that these shared genes influence the relationship between marital instability and child sleep problems.
"Our findings suggest that the association between marital instability and children's subsequent sleep problems emerges earlier in development than has been demonstrated previously," she said.
The study has been published in the journal Child Development.
Source: ANI