Sleep problem and related factors in children with autism / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:The aim of the current study is to understand the sleep disorders in children with autism and related factors.Methods:A case-control study method was conducted in this study which included 198 children autism who met the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fourth Edition (DSM-Ⅳ) and 233 cases of gender-and age-matched normal children.Their general demographic and sleep data were collected and the children with autism were assessed with Autism Behavior Checklist,Child Behavior Checklist and Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire.Correlation analysis and regression analysis were performed to compare sleep quality,sleep problems and the related factors of the two groups.Results:The scores of difficulty falling asleep,sleep restlessness,taking hold or shaking,restless sleep,interrupted sleep,nightmares,sleepwalking,night terrors,sleep snoring,nocturnal enuresis,sleep apnea,mouth breathing,sweating and sleep scores were higher in the autism group compared to the normal control group before falling asleep (P ＜ 0.05),while the proportion of daytime sleep time in the autism group was lower than the normal control group (P ＜0.05).With sleep status as dependent variable,linear regression analysis was conducted with children's birth weight,walking month age,speaking month age,father age,and autism spectrum as independent variables.The multiple linear regression analysis showed the scores of,sensory behaviors,body and object use behaviors,and self-help behaviors in Autism Behavior Checklist for autistic children were positively associated with their sleep (β =0.21,0.21,0.29,P ＜ 0.05).However,paternal age at birth in the autism group had negative associatin with the sleep of autistic children (β =-0.16,P ＜0.05).In the autism group,their total scores of Autism Behavior Checklist and the scores of language and social behavior in Autism Behavior Checklist were not associated with their sleep status score (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion:It suggests that children with autism may have more sleep problems,and their sleep problems are related to autism symptoms including the scores of,sensory behaviors,body and object use behaviors,and self-help behaviors in Autism Behavior Checklist for autistic and their paternal age at birth.