ABSTRACT
Sleep problems represent a significant challenge for children with ADHD. However, lack of knowledge about how sleep affects children with ADHD in terms of their health and everyday life prevents the development and implementation of interventions to promote sleep. The aim of this study was to explore parents' experiences of direct and indirect implications of sleep quality on the health of children with ADHD. The study used an abductive qualitative design, with Tengland's two-dimensional theory of health as a deductive analysis framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 parents of children aged 6-13 with ADHD and sleep problems. The parents experienced that sleep influenced their children's abilities to control emotional behaviour related to ADHD and to manage everyday life. Sleep also had an impact on the children's well-being, in relation to both vitality and self-esteem. In conclusion, the results show important direct and indirect implications of sleep quality on the health of children with ADHD. This implies a need for greater focus on sleep, to target both abilities and well-being in promoting health among children with ADHD.
Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Sleep Wake Disorders , Child , Humans , Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology , Sleep Wake Disorders/psychology , Sleep Quality , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/psychology , Sleep , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Support has been found for using garden therapy as form of intervention for clients with common mental disorders, but no consensus has been found for what contributes to perceived meaningfulness of garden therapy. AIMS: To investigate whether participants perceived garden therapy as meaningful, and if so, what contributed to the meaningfulness. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Narrative individual interviews were conducted twice with six participants who participated in garden therapy and once with two participants. Data was analysed using narrative methodology. RESULTS: Perceived meanings in garden therapy were associated to the participants' individual needs and prerequisites: to land, just be, relax, go back to basics, understand, verbalise, enhance energy, and socialise. The group leaders had an important role to create safety and trust, and to adapt the activities and use of the environment. The activities, the garden environment and social group contributed to perceived meaning in garden therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Garden therapy offered the participants possibilities to meet their different needs and thereby perceived meaning. To achieve this, the group leaders need to adapt the gardening individually to each participant. SIGNIFICANCE: Various components were perceived as meaningful. The group leaders therefore have to adapt the garden therapy to each participant's needs.
