Bridging the gap: leveraging implementation science to advance pediatric behavioral sleep interventions

Area of Science:

• Pediatric sleep medicine
• Implementation science
• Behavioral health

Background:

• Behavioral sleep interventions (BSIs) show promise for youth sleep disturbances.
• Current BSI research has gaps, particularly for older children, adolescents, and diverse socioeconomic/ethnic groups.
• Translating research into accessible, scalable interventions remains a significant challenge.

Approach:

• Review common pediatric sleep disturbances and evidence-based BSIs.
• Identify research gaps and barriers to implementation in real-world settings.
• Propose a model using implementation science strategies to bridge the research-practice gap.

Key Points:

• Limited research includes older children, adolescents, and minoritized populations.
• Scalable and disseminable tools are crucial for early intervention and positive child outcomes.
• Implementation science frameworks are essential for designing, adapting, and testing BSIs.

Conclusions:

• Effective pediatric BSIs must be adaptable, scalable, and easily disseminated.
• Implementation science enhances access, engagement, and widespread use of BSIs.
• Integrating implementation science advances pediatric BSI research and application across settings and populations.