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Toward better outcome measurement for insomnia in children with autism spectrum disorder

Lawrence Scahill1,2, Luc Lecavalier3, Michael C Edwards4,5

  • 1Emory University, USA.

Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
|July 30, 2024
PubMed

Insights

The Pediatric Autism Insomnia Rating Scale effectively measures sleep problems in autistic children. This new scale is brief, valid, and provides reliable scores for assessing insomnia in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric sleep medicine
  • Autism spectrum disorder research
  • Psychometric scale development

Background:

  • Insomnia is a prevalent issue in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • Previous research focused on parent focus groups to develop a rating scale for pediatric autism insomnia.
  • A validated, reliable measure is needed to assess insomnia in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report on the completion and validation of the Pediatric Autism Insomnia Rating Scale (PAIRS).
  • To establish the psychometric properties of the PAIRS for use in children with ASD.
  • To confirm PAIRS measures insomnia symptoms specifically, differentiating them from other ASD-related behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Data collected from 1185 children with ASD via the Simons Foundation registry.
  • Statistical evaluation including factor analysis to test the new measure.
  • Video conference assessments with a separate sample of 134 autistic children to confirm validity.

Main Results:

  • The PAIRS demonstrated clear measurement of insomnia symptoms in children with ASD.
  • The scale effectively distinguished insomnia from hyperactivity, repetitive behaviors, and anxiety.
  • Total scores on the PAIRS showed stability over brief repeated assessments, indicating reliability.

Conclusions:

  • The Pediatric Autism Insomnia Rating Scale is a brief, valid, and reliable measure for assessing insomnia in children with ASD.
  • PAIRS provides dependable scores crucial for outcome measurement in clinical trials and practice.
  • This scale offers a valuable tool for clinicians and researchers addressing sleep disturbances in autistic children.
Abstract

Keywords:
autismchildreninsomniaoutcome measure

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