Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
Disabil Rehabil. 2023 Aug;45(16):2638-2650. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2103594. Epub 2022 Aug 18.
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder often report poorer sleep compared to parents of typically developing children. When parents do not obtain enough quality sleep, functioning may be compromised placing the onus of care on already stressed parents. However, improving sleep duration may not improve sleep quality and is not always feasible. This study aimed to measure sleep quality in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder, determine if stress and children's sleep are associated with sleep quality and whether resources, appraisals, and coping moderate these relationships.
Multivariable regression was used to determine the effects of stress and children's sleep problems on sleep quality and test modifying effects.
Mean (SD) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores was 8.81 (3.76), with 77.6% of parents scoring above the clinical cut-off. Mean (SD) Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire scores was 54.03 (8.32), with 96.3% of parents rating their child's sleep above the clinical cut-off. Children's sleep was the only significant predictor and none of the expected effect modifiers were significant.
Children's sleep may be an important target to improve parent sleep quality but requires systematic assessment with interventional research. Implications for rehabilitationBoth parents and their 4-10-year-old children with ASD experience high levels of sleep disturbances.Clinicians can start the conversation early with parents about their children's sleep by providing them with information to increase awareness and recognize healthy sleep habits in their children.Clinicians are important in the assessment, management, and evaluation of pediatric sleep problems, which may have significant spillover effects on parents of children with ASD.There is a need for more resources and training to be available to clinicians to assess children and their parents for sleep problems, which could extend beyond the assessment of sleep and consider parent's daytime functioning and mental health.
自闭症谱系障碍儿童的父母通常比发育正常的儿童的父母报告睡眠质量更差。当父母无法获得足够的优质睡眠时，他们的功能可能会受到影响，从而将照顾孩子的责任压在已经承受压力的父母身上。然而，增加睡眠时间不一定能提高睡眠质量，而且并不总是可行的。本研究旨在测量自闭症谱系障碍儿童父母的睡眠质量，确定压力和儿童睡眠是否与睡眠质量相关，以及资源、评估和应对是否调节这些关系。
多变量回归用于确定压力和儿童睡眠问题对睡眠质量的影响，并测试调节作用。
匹兹堡睡眠质量指数的平均（标准差）评分为 8.81（3.76），有 77.6%的父母得分高于临床临界值。儿童睡眠习惯问卷的平均（标准差）评分为 54.03（8.32），有 96.3%的父母认为他们孩子的睡眠高于临床临界值。儿童睡眠是唯一显著的预测因素，而预期的调节因素都没有显著影响。
儿童睡眠可能是改善父母睡眠质量的一个重要目标，但需要通过系统评估和干预研究来实现。
自闭症谱系障碍儿童的父母和他们的 4-10 岁儿童都经历着高水平的睡眠障碍。
临床医生可以通过向父母提供信息来提高他们对孩子睡眠的认识，帮助他们识别孩子的健康睡眠习惯，从而尽早与父母就孩子的睡眠问题进行沟通。
临床医生在评估、管理和评估儿童睡眠问题方面起着重要作用，这可能对自闭症谱系障碍儿童的父母产生重大的溢出效应。
需要为临床医生提供更多的资源和培训，以评估儿童及其父母的睡眠问题，这可能不仅限于评估睡眠，还可以考虑父母的日间功能和心理健康。
