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Sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study

Man Ho Brian Leung1, Sze Ting Joanna Ngan2, Pak Wing Calvin Cheng2

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
|May 4, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Children with autism experience significantly more sleep problems than their non-autistic peers. Separation anxiety disorder exacerbates these sleep issues in autistic children, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is linked to increased sleep disturbances, impacting behavior and clinical presentation.
  • Limited research exists on autism traits and sleep problems specifically within the Hong Kong population.
  • This study addresses the gap by comparing sleep issues in autistic and non-autistic children in Hong Kong.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if children with autism exhibit more sleep problems than non-autistic children in Hong Kong.
  • To identify factors associated with sleep problems in a clinical sample of children with autism.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 135 children with autism and 102 age-matched non-autistic children (ages 6-12).
  • Sleep behaviors were assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ).
  • Statistical analyses included t-tests and stepwise linear regression.

Main Results:

  • Children with autism reported significantly more sleep problems compared to non-autistic children (p < 0.001).
  • Factors associated with sleep problems included bed-sharing, maternal age at birth, and autism traits.
  • Separation anxiety disorder was identified as the strongest predictor of sleep problems (p = 0.019).

Conclusions:

  • Autistic children face significantly greater sleep challenges than non-autistic children.
  • Co-occurring separation anxiety disorder is associated with more severe sleep problems in autistic children.
  • Clinicians should prioritize addressing sleep issues in children with autism for improved treatment outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
autism spectrum disordercross-sectionalneurodevelopmental disordersleep disorderssleep habits

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