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Published on: March 27, 2012

Parental report of sleep problems in children with autism

K A Schreck1, J A Mulick

  • 1Penn State-Harrisburg, Middletown, Pennsylvania 17057-4898, USA.

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|June 1, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Parents of children with autism report typical sleep duration but perceive more sleep difficulties and lower quality compared to other developmental disorder groups.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Behavioral Pediatrics

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are common in children with developmental disorders.
  • Parental perception of sleep can significantly impact family well-being.
  • Understanding sleep patterns in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare parent-reported sleep behaviors in children with autism versus other developmental diagnoses.
  • To investigate differences in perceived sleep quality and difficulties among these groups.
  • To assess the validity of the Behavioral Evaluation of Disorders of Sleep (BEDS) scale in diverse pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Parental reports on sleep behaviors using the 28-item, five-factor Behavioral Evaluation of Disorders of Sleep (BEDS) scale.
  • Inclusion of four groups: children with autism/pervasive developmental disorders, general mental retardation, special education, and a neurotypical control group.
  • Diagnostic classification confirmed via parent report, school records, and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale.

Main Results:

  • Children with autistic characteristics exhibited typical sleep quantities, as reported by parents.
  • Parents of children with autism reported significantly greater sleep difficulties and poorer sleep quality compared to all other groups.
  • The BEDS scale effectively differentiated perceived sleep issues across developmental diagnoses.

Conclusions:

  • While sleep duration may be typical, parental perception of sleep problems is heightened in children with autism.
  • Parental perception of sleep quality and difficulties warrants clinical attention in pediatric autism care.
  • Further research should explore the underlying reasons for these perceptual differences in sleep for children with ASD.

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