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Dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep in children
Alice M Gregory1, Jenny Cox, Megan R Crawford
1Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK. a.gregory@gold.ac.uk
Journal of Sleep Research
|August 19, 2009
Summary
Children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are common in children and can impact development and well-being.
- Dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep are recognized contributors to sleep problems in adults.
- The role of these cognitive factors in pediatric sleep disturbance requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep and sleep disturbance in children.
- To explore specific cognitive factors that may predict sleep difficulties in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 123 children aged 8-10 years from diverse ethnic backgrounds in London, UK.
- Children completed the adapted Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep (DBAS) questionnaire and the Sleep Self-Report (SSR).
- Parents completed the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) to assess child sleep patterns.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between total DBAS scores and overall sleep disturbance (total SSR score, SSR insomnia items, and total CSHQ score).
- Specific dysfunctional beliefs, particularly concerning the 'control and predictability of sleep,' significantly predicted sleep disturbance.
- The 'sleep requirements expectations' subscale did not predict sleep disturbance when controlling for other factors.
Conclusions:
- Preliminary evidence suggests that dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep are associated with sleep difficulties in children.
- Cognitive-behavioral interventions targeting maladaptive sleep-related beliefs may be beneficial for pediatric sleep problems.
- Further refinement of the DBAS for use with children is warranted to enhance its developmental appropriateness and clinical utility.
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