Anat Levin1, Anat Scher2. 1. Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. 2. Department of Counseling and Human Development, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. anats@edu.haifa.ac.il.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Disrupted sleep is common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). AIMS: Our goal was to (1) examine the contribution of sleep problems to parenting stress in children with ASD as compared to typically developing (TD) and (2) to address maternal sleep-related cognitions and behaviors in both groups. METHODS: Mothers of 34 ASD (mean age = 39.29 months, SD = 5.22) and 31 TD children (mean age = 36.23 months, SD = 5.75) completed questionnaires measuring maternal stress, sleep-related cognitions and settling to sleep interactions, and the child's sleep problems; mothers in the ASD group completed a symptom severity questionnaire. RESULTS: In accord with previous research, children with ASD had more sleep problems compared to the TD group, and their mothers reported higher levels of stress. In the ASD group, sleep problems contributed to the experience of maternal stress, over and above symptom severity. Across groups, maternal cognitions and bedtime interactions were significantly associated with children's sleep problems. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the interplay between sleep-related cognitions, bedtime interactions, and sleep problems and underscore the contribution of disrupted sleep to mothers' experience of parenting stress. As sleep problems in ASD children are common, clinicians are advised to include sleep in consultations with parents.
INTRODUCTION: Disrupted sleep is common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). AIMS: Our goal was to (1) examine the contribution of sleep problems to parenting stress in children with ASD as compared to typically developing (TD) and (2) to address maternal sleep-related cognitions and behaviors in both groups. METHODS: Mothers of 34 ASD (mean age = 39.29 months, SD = 5.22) and 31 TD children (mean age = 36.23 months, SD = 5.75) completed questionnaires measuring maternal stress, sleep-related cognitions and settling to sleep interactions, and the child's sleep problems; mothers in the ASD group completed a symptom severity questionnaire. RESULTS: In accord with previous research, children with ASD had more sleep problems compared to the TD group, and their mothers reported higher levels of stress. In the ASD group, sleep problems contributed to the experience of maternal stress, over and above symptom severity. Across groups, maternal cognitions and bedtime interactions were significantly associated with children's sleep problems. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the interplay between sleep-related cognitions, bedtime interactions, and sleep problems and underscore the contribution of disrupted sleep to mothers' experience of parenting stress. As sleep problems in ASDchildren are common, clinicians are advised to include sleep in consultations with parents.
Authors: Zhen Zheng; Li Zhang; Shiping Li; Fengyan Zhao; Yan Wang; Lan Huang; Jinglan Huang; Rong Zou; Yi Qu; Dezhi Mu Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-09-15 Impact factor: 4.379