Initial Validation of the Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Cancer Model

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Sleep Medicine
• Health Psychology

Background:

• Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children undergoing cancer treatment.
• The Sleep Disturbance in Pediatric Cancer (SDPC) model requires content validation.
• Understanding stakeholder perspectives is crucial for model refinement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the content validity of the SDPC model.
• To gather qualitative and quantitative input from parents and healthcare providers.
• To refine the SDPC model for improved relevance and applicability.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews with parents (n=20) and providers (n=6) of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
• Rating of SDPC model component importance on a 0-4 scale.
• Identification of key sleep-related intervention targets by stakeholders.

Main Results:

• Parents and providers agreed that psychosocial, environmental, and biological factors impact pediatric cancer sleep.
• Most SDPC model components were rated as important by both parents and providers.
• Parents prioritized interventions for sleep onset difficulties; providers focused on irregular sleep habits.

Conclusions:

• Stakeholder input supports the content validity of the SDPC model.
• The validated SDPC model will guide the development of new measures and interventions.
• Future interventions should address biological and behavioral factors influencing pediatric cancer sleep disturbances.