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Sleep patterns among children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a reexamination of parent perceptions
J D Ball1, M Tiernan, J Janusz
1Neuropsychology Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk 23510, USA.
Insights
Parents perceive children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience more sleep difficulties than typically developing children. Medication status did not significantly alter these parental perceptions of sleep patterns.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
- Sleep disturbances are frequently reported in children with ADHD.
- Previous diagnostic criteria (DSM-III) included sleep disturbance, potentially confounding earlier research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parental perceptions of sleep patterns in children diagnosed with ADHD compared to controls.
- To examine if stimulant medication influences parental perceptions of sleep in children with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- Parental surveys were used to gather data on children's sleep patterns.
- Children were referred for learning or behavioral issues to an outpatient assessment center.
- ADHD diagnoses were based on DSM-III-R criteria, excluding sleep disturbance as a core diagnostic feature.
Main Results:
- Parents consistently perceived children with ADHD as having greater sleep difficulties than their non-ADHD peers.
- Perceived sleep differences between children with ADHD on and off stimulant medication were minimal.
- Findings align with previous research on ADHD and sleep disturbances.
Conclusions:
- Parental perception highlights significant sleep challenges in children with ADHD.
- Stimulant medication does not appear to markedly alter parental perceptions of sleep issues in ADHD.
- Clinical practice should consider these perceived sleep difficulties in managing ADHD.
Abstract:
Surveyed parents of children with and without ADHD for their perceptions of their children's sleep patterns. All children had been referred for learning or behavior problems to an outpatient assessment center. Diagnoses of ADHD were based on DSM-III-R, rather than DSM-III criteria, avoiding a possible confound from diagnostic criteria that formerly included sleep disturbance as a defining characteristic of ADHD. Data replicated past findings showing that parents perceive children with ADHD to have greater sleep difficulty than normally developing children. Parents perceived few differences between sleep patterns of children with ADHD who were taking or not taking stimulant medication. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of past literature and present clinical practice.