ABSTRACT: Importance:The long-term association between sleep duration and mental health in children is currently unknown. Objective:To investigate the prospective associations between sleep duration and symptoms of emotional and behavioral disorders at ages 6, 8, 10, and 12 years. Design, Setting, and Participants:This population-based cohort study obtained data from the Trondheim Early Secure Study in Trondheim, Norway. A representative, stratified random sample of children born between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2004, were invited to participate. Participants were followed up biennially from age 4 years (2007-2008) to 12 years (2013-2014). Data analysis was conducted from January 2, 2019, to May 28, 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures:Sleep duration was assessed with 1 week of continuous use of a triaxial accelerometer. Symptoms of emotional (anxiety and depression) and behavioral (oppositional defiant, conduct, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity) disorders were measured by semistructured clinical interviews (using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment and the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment) with parents (at all ages) and children (from age 8 years). Results:The analytical sample comprised 799 children (mean [SD] age at time point 2, 6.0 [0.2] years; 405 [50.7%] boys; and 771 [96.5%] Norwegian). Shorter sleep duration at age 6 years (? [unstandardized regression coefficient]?=?-0.44; 95% CI, -0.80 to -0.08; P?=?.02) and 8 years (??=?-0.47; 95% CI, -0.83 to -0.11; P?=?.01) forecasted symptoms of emotional disorders 2 years later. Comparatively short sleep duration at age 8 years (??=?-0.65; 95% CI,?-1.22 to -0.08; P?=?.03) and 10 years (??=?-0.58; 95% CI,?-1.07 to -0.08; P?=?.02) was associated with symptoms of behavioral disorders 2 years later among boys but not among girls at age 8 years (? =?-0.14; 95% CI,-?0.52 to 0.24; P?=?.48) or 10 years (??=?-0.05; 95% CI,?=?-0.49 to 0.40; P?=?.84). These associations were statistically significant among boys compared with girls at age 8 years (??21?=?13.26; P?