Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
08:36

Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments

Published on: August 8, 2019

Predictors of children's sleep onset and maintenance problems after road traffic accidents

Lutz Wittmann1, Daniel Zehnder, Oskar G Jenni

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

European Journal of Psychotraumatology
|August 16, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Children experiencing trauma, like after road accidents, often have sleep problems. Posttraumatic stress in children and mothers significantly predicts sleep difficulties, highlighting the need for integrated interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric psychology
  • Sleep medicine
  • Trauma research

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are common in children post-trauma.
  • The link between traumatic experiences and sleep issues requires further clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate sleep onset and maintenance problems in children post-road traffic accidents.
  • Identify predictors of these sleep issues, including psychopathology and family stressors.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed sleep and psychopathology in 33 children 10 days, 2, and 6 months post-accident.
  • Used multiple regression to analyze socio-demographic, injury-related, psychopathological, and family stressor variables.

Main Results:

  • Children with posttraumatic stress symptoms reported longer sleep latency.
  • Female sex, child PTSD severity, and maternal PTSD severity predicted sleep problems.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood sleep problems after trauma involve complex interactions.
  • Findings support a transactional model of sleep-wake regulation, informing intervention strategies.
Abstract

Keywords:
Posttraumatic stress disorderchildrenroad traffic accidentssleep

More Related Videos

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood08:20

Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood

Published on: October 2, 2019

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training06:51

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training

Published on: July 27, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation01:13

Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation

Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Nightmares and Night Terrors01:18

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares often...
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder01:30

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. It affects approximately 5-8% of children globally, with around 60-70% of cases persisting into adulthood. ADHD has significant implications for educational attainment, social interactions, and occupational success.
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Cause and Effect01:53

Cause and Effect

While variables are sometimes correlated because one does cause the other, it could also be that some other factor, a confounding variable, is actually causing the systematic movement in our variables of interest. For instance, as sales in ice cream increase, so does the overall rate of crime. Is it possible that indulging in your favorite flavor of ice cream could send you on a crime spree? Or, after committing crime do you think you might decide to treat yourself to a cone?
Narcolepsy01:07

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by pervasive, uncontrolled sleepiness and other sleep disturbances. One of its hallmark symptoms is an abrupt transition to REM sleep upon falling asleep, which causes symptoms typically associated with this phase to occur unexpectedly during wakefulness. These include the following symptoms, which typically last from a minute or two to half an hour.
Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking01:17

Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking

Somnambulism, commonly known as sleepwalking, involves individuals engaging in activities ranging from simple walking to more complex behaviors such as driving. Sleepwalking typically occurs during the slow-wave sleep stages 3 and 4 early in the night when the person is not dreaming, contradicting the myth that sleepwalkers are acting out their dreams.
Factors that increase the likelihood of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Contrary to common beliefs, it is safe...