Risk of behavioral and adaptive functioning difficulties in youth with previous and current sleep disordered...

To examine the rates of behavioral and adaptive functioning difficulties among youth who never had sleep disordered breathing (SDB), had remitted SDB, had incident SDB, or had persistent SDB; and to determine if there were increased odds of behavioral difficulties among youth with varying SDB histories relative to those who never had SDB.

263 youth had valid polysomnography and neurobehavioral data at two time points approximately 5 years apart from the prospective Tucson Children's Assessment of Sleep Apnea study. Primary outcomes were the behavior assessment scale for children-2(nd) Edition parent report form (BASC-PRF) and Self-Report of Personality (SRP), and the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-2(nd) Edition (ABAS-2).

Compared to those who never had SDB, individuals with persistent SDB had significant odds and met more cutoff scores on the BASC-2-PRF externalizing problems composite (odds ratio [OR] 3.29; 8.92% vs. 35.3%), behavioral symptoms index (OR 6.82; 7.4% vs. 35.3%) and Hyperactivity subscale (OR 6.82; 11.1% vs. 41.2%). Similarly, greater difficulties was seen for the group with persistent SDB (relative to never) on the ABAS-2 social domain (OR 3.39; 22% vs. 50%), and Communication (OR 4.26; 15% vs. 42.9%) and Self-Care subscales (OR = 2.97; 25.2% vs. 50%). Relative to youth who never had SDB, youth who developed SDB at Time 2 had compromised adaptive skills as evidenced by the BASC-2 PRF adaptive behavior composite (OR 3.34; 15.6% vs. 38.1%) and the ABAS-2 general adaptive composite (OR 2.83; 20.5% vs. 42.1%).

Youth with current SDB exhibited hyperactivity, attention problems, aggressivity, lower social competency, poorer communication, and/or diminished adaptive skills.