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Sleep Disturbances and Behavioural Phenotypes in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Study With

Doga Sevincok1, Cansu Mercan Isik2, Mutlu Muhammed Ozbek3

  • 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey.

International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience
|May 6, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience more sleep problems and behavioral difficulties than typically developing children. Specific behaviors like sameness and compulsions are linked to sleep issues in ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Behavioral Psychology

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors.
  • Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in children and adolescents with ASD, impacting their daily functioning and overall well-being.
  • Understanding the specific links between sleep problems and behavioral challenges in ASD is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between various sleep problems and specific behavioral difficulties in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • To compare these relationships in ASD with those in typically developing children (TDC).

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 40 children/adolescents with ASD and 50 TDC, all with normal intellectual functioning.
  • Utilized the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised Short (CPRS-RS), and Repetitive Behaviour Scale-Revised (RBS-R).

Main Results:

  • Participants with ASD exhibited significantly higher scores on measures of inattention, hyperactivity, and various repetitive behaviors (stereotyped, self-injurious, compulsive, routine, sameness, restricted) compared to TDC.
  • The ASD group also reported more difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep.
  • Correlation and regression analyses revealed significant associations between specific repetitive behaviors (e.g., sameness, compulsive) and distinct sleep problems (e.g., timing, arousal/waking, breathing) in the ASD group.

Conclusions:

  • Sameness behaviors, compulsive behaviors, and overall repetitive behaviors are significantly associated with several sleep problems in children and adolescents with ASD.
  • These findings highlight robust links between specific sleep disturbances and particular behavioral difficulties within the ASD population.
  • The study underscores the importance of addressing sleep issues to potentially mitigate behavioral challenges in individuals with ASD.
Abstract

Keywords:
adolescentsautism spectrum disordersbehavioural problemschildrensleep problems

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