Chronic Sleep Reduction in Childhood and Adolescence.

BACKGROUND: Habitually shortened nighttime sleep is a common phenomenon in childhood and adolescence, sometimes associated with chronic sleep reduction (CSR). CSR is associated with impairments of performance ability and emotional well-being. The extent to which children and adolescents in Germany suffer from CSR is unclear; it is also unclear what factors are predictive of CSR. METHODS: In the present study, we carried out a telephone survey in a representative sample of 998 children and adolescents aged 12 to 17, asking them about their sleep behavior, sleep disturbances, and mental well-being. A standardized method was used. RESULTS: The point prevalence of CSR was found to be 12.5% (95% confidence interval, [10.5; 14.6]). Children and adolescents affected by CSR reported a significantly higher frequency of insomnia, delayed sleep-phase syndrome, restless legs syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea. Female sex, pro - longed absence from school or vocational training, emotional and behavioral disturbances, age over 15 years, bedtimes after 10:38 pm on nights before school (or vocational training), getting up after 10:04 on days off, and reported insomnia were all associated with CSR, with odds ratios (OR) ranging from 2.2 to 21.1 (R2 = 0.32 in a logistic regression model). CONCLUSION: One in eight persons aged 12 to 17 in Germany, particularly girls, meets the criteria for CSR. CSR is associated with sleep disturbances and significantly impaired mental health and should, therefore, always be kept in mind in routine clinical practice. We provide a set of indicators for possible CSR that patients can easily be asked about.

Does a mindfulness-augmented version of the German Strengthening Families Program reduce substance use in adolescents? Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness training (MT) for parents of adolescents has been shown to improve mental health and stress-related outcomes in individuals and their families. Studies of MT among young people are mainly delivered in educational or clinical settings, and there is a need for controlled studies on both parent-directed and adolescent-directed approaches. It is unclear whether MT has preventive effects for substance use outcomes. The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of family-based MT targeting both adolescents and their parents to prevent adolescent substance use and enhance neurobehavioral self-regulation skills that play a major role in addiction development and mental health. METHODS/DESIGN: The trial design is a superiority, two-arm, randomized controlled trial in which families will participate either in the full curriculum of the evidence-based Strengthening Families Program 10-14 (SFP 10-14, German adaptation) or in a mindfulness-enhanced version of this program (SFP-Mind). Both seven-session interventions are highly structured and will each be delivered over a period of approximately 7 weeks. The experimental intervention SFP-Mind is a modified version of the SFP 10-14 in which some elements were eliminated or changed to enable the inclusion of additional parent-directed and adolescent-directed mindfulness components. The primary outcome is adolescent self-reported alcohol use based on an alcohol initiation index at 18-month follow-up. Dispositional mindfulness, impulsivity, and emotion regulation will be included as secondary outcomes and potential mechanisms of action. The study will recruit and randomize 216 adolescents, aged 10-14 years, and their parents who will be followed up for 18 months. DISCUSSION: This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of SFP-Mind for family-based prevention of substance use and promoting mental health in adolescence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Register of Clinical Studies, DRKS00015678. Registered on 25 February 2019.