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Primary caregiver education level and sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Stacey D Elkhatib Smidt1,2,3, Frances Lu4, Sowmya R Rao4,5

  • 1Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Journal of Sleep Research
|October 8, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Lower primary caregiver education is linked to more sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This highlights the need to screen for sleep risks in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Social Determinants of Health

Background:

  • Sleep problems are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • Previous research on caregiver education level and ASD sleep issues yielded inconsistent results.
  • Understanding factors associated with sleep disturbances is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between primary caregiver education level and sleep problems in children with ASD.
  • To identify other factors that may be associated with sleep difficulties in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 4,636 children with ASD in the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network registry.
  • Caregivers completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire.
  • Regression analysis was used to determine associations.

Main Results:

  • A significant association was found between lower primary caregiver education level and increased sleep problems.
  • Secondary analyses revealed associations between more sleep problems and younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, higher IQ, autism diagnosis, and lower adaptive functioning.
  • The study included a large, diverse sample of children with ASD.

Conclusions:

  • Lower caregiver education level is a risk factor for sleep problems in children with ASD.
  • Identifying and addressing risk factors like caregiver education can help manage sleep issues.
  • This research underscores the importance of comprehensive screening for sleep problems in children with ASD.

Keywords:
developmental disordersleep disturbancesocioeconomic status

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