Internalizing symptoms and sleep outcomes in urban children with and without asthma

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Sleep Medicine
• Child Health Disparities

Background:

• Internalizing symptoms and sleep disturbances are prevalent in childhood.
• Asthma is a common chronic condition in children that may impact mental health and sleep.
• Ethnic and racial disparities exist in both asthma prevalence and mental health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between internalizing symptoms and sleep characteristics in urban children.
• To determine if asthma status moderates the relationship between internalizing symptoms and sleep.
• To examine whether these associations differ across ethnic groups (Latino, African American, Non-Latino White).

Main Methods:

• A sample of 7- to 9-year-old urban children with and without persistent asthma was recruited.
• Internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depressive, somatic) were assessed via teacher reports.
• Sleep parameters including duration, variability, and onset latency were objectively measured using actigraphy.

Main Results:

• Depressive symptoms were linked to sleep duration variability and shorter sleep onset latency.
• Ethnic differences emerged: Latino children with depressive symptoms had shorter sleep onset latency; African American children showed associations between internalizing symptoms and sleep variability; Non-Latino White children's somatic symptoms related to sleep variability.
• Asthma status moderated ethnic differences, with specific symptom-sleep associations appearing only in children with or without asthma within certain ethnic groups.

Conclusions:

• Interventions for urban children should consider specific internalizing symptoms and sleep outcomes.
• Tailoring interventions based on ethnic background and asthma status may improve effectiveness.
• Understanding these nuanced associations is crucial for developing targeted mental health and sleep support.