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Effects of Sleep Disturbances on Behavioral Problems in Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Ying Wang1, Jingjing Lin1, Ying Zeng2

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, China National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
|February 26, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience specific sleep disturbances, particularly parasomnias like bed wetting and restlessness, which are linked to behavioral problems. These findings offer targets for intervention in ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition often accompanied by sleep disturbances.
  • Understanding the specific relationship between sleep issues and behavioral problems in young children with ASD is crucial for effective intervention.
  • Previous research indicates sleep problems are common in ASD, but specific links to behavioral phenotypes require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify characteristic sleep disturbances impacting behavioral problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • To explore the potential for sleep and behavioral interventions tailored to children with ASD.
  • To compare sleep patterns and their behavioral correlations between children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children.

Main Methods:

  • Data from 513 children with ASD and 246 typically developing (TD) children (ages 2-5) were analyzed.
  • Behavioral problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL).
  • Sleep status was measured by the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), and disorder severity by the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Linear regression and independent-sample t-tests were employed.

Main Results:

  • Children with ASD exhibited longer sleep onset delay and more frequent night awakenings compared to TD children.
  • Parasomnias scores from the CSHQ significantly correlated with internalizing, externalizing, and total behavioral problems in children with ASD, but not in TD children.
  • "Bed wetting" and "restless and moves a lot" were specifically associated with overall behavioral scores in children with ASD.

Conclusions:

  • Parasomnias, particularly bed wetting and restlessness, are uniquely associated with behavioral problems in children with ASD.
  • These specific sleep disturbances represent potential targets for behavioral interventions in young children with autism spectrum disorder.
  • The findings highlight the importance of addressing parasomnias in the management of behavioral challenges in ASD.

Keywords:
autism spectrum disorderbehavioral problemschildren's sleep habits questionnaireparasomniasleep disturbance

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