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A bibliometric and visualized analysis of sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder
Fethiye Kılıçaslan1, Hülya Karataş2, Ümit Doğan3
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkiye.
Insights
Research on sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is growing. This bibliometric analysis maps the field to identify research gaps and guide future studies on ASD sleep issues.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Psychology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience sleep problems more frequently than neurotypical children.
- Despite extensive research, a bibliometric overview of sleep issues in ASD is absent.
- This study addresses the need for a comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature on sleep in children with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a bibliometric analysis of publications on sleep problems in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- To map the research landscape, including authors, countries, journals, and keywords.
- To identify trends and potential research gaps in the field.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric analysis of research articles sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC).
- Data encompasses studies published between 1984 and 2024.
- Analysis included mapping author networks, country contributions, journal distribution, and keyword evolution.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in publications since 2011, peaking in 2021.
- The United States is the leading country for research contributions.
- Malow B. is the most prolific author; recent keywords include intervention, circadian rhythm, screen time, and melatonin.
Conclusions:
- There is escalating research interest in sleep problems among children with ASD.
- This bibliometric analysis highlights current research trends and identifies areas for future investigation.
- The findings aim to guide researchers in addressing knowledge gaps in pediatric ASD sleep research.
Purpose:
Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of sleep problems compared to their typically developing peers. Despite numerous studies on ASD and sleep, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis on this topic is lacking. This study aims to analyze publications on sleep problems in children with ASD using bibliometric methods.
Methods:
Research articles on sleep problems in children with ASD were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. Between 1984 and 2024, 462 studies by 1896 authors were published in 164 journals. We used bibliometrics to analyze papers on sleep problems in children with ASD, to draw the network of authors, countries, journals, and keywords in this field, and to visualize the results.
Results:
The number of publications examining sleep problems in children with ASD has increased since 2011. The highest number of published studies is in 2021. The leading country in research is the USA, and the most productive author in this field is Malow B. In recent years, burst keywords were intervention, circadian rhythm, screen time, and melatonin.
Conclusion:
Increased attention has been paid to sleep in children with ASD. It is believed that this bibliometric analysis can help determine the gap in the field of sleep in children with ASD and help new studies to be conducted.
