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Sleep and psychological characteristics of children on a psychiatric inpatient unit
A Sadeh1, J P McGuire, H Sachs
1E. P. Bradle Hospital/Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Insights
Children hospitalized for severe behavior disorders experienced poorer sleep quality, linked to feelings of depression and low self-esteem. Abuse history also impacted sleep, with physically abused children showing worse sleep outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Sleep Medicine
- Psychological Trauma
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are common in hospitalized children with behavioral disorders.
- Understanding factors influencing sleep quality is crucial for treatment.
- Objective sleep measures offer a reliable assessment of sleep patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between objective sleep-wake patterns and psychological status in hospitalized children.
- To investigate the association between sleep quality and a history of child abuse.
- To identify predictors of sleep quality in a pediatric psychiatric inpatient setting.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-nine children in a psychiatric inpatient unit were monitored using wrist activity monitors for 1-3 nights.
- Objective sleep-wake patterns were assessed.
- Psychiatric, psychosocial assessments, and abuse history were collected from children and parents.
Main Results:
- Poorer objective sleep quality correlated significantly with children's self-reported depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem.
- No correlation was found between intelligence scores and sleep measures.
- Children who were not abused or were sexually abused exhibited better sleep quality compared to physically abused children.
Conclusions:
- Sleep quality in hospitalized children with severe behavior disorders is strongly linked to their subjective experiences of depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem.
- Child abuse, particularly physical abuse, negatively impacts sleep quality during psychiatric hospitalization.
- Objective sleep assessment is valuable for understanding the complex interplay of psychological factors and sleep in pediatric psychiatric care.
Objective:
To assess the association of objective measures of sleep-wake patterns and psychological status and abuse history of children hospitalized in a psychiatric inpatient unit.
Method:
Thirty-nine inpatient children participated in the study. They were monitored for one to three consecutive nights with miniature wrist activity monitors for objective assessment of sleep-wake patterns. In addition, a thorough psychiatric and psychosocial assessment was completed with each child and the parents.
Results:
Children's self-ratings of depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem were significantly correlated with objective sleep measures indicating poorer sleep quality. No significant correlations between intelligence scores and sleep measures were found. Nonabused and sexually abused children had better sleep quality than physically abused children.
Conclusions:
Sleep quality during hospitalization is strongly associated with self experiences of depression, hopelessness, and low self-esteem in children with severe behavior disorders.