Open AccessSleep as a Moderator of Young Children’s Traumatic Stress and Behavior Problems: a Treatment-Referred Sample
Author(s) -
Glenn R. Mesman,
Sufna G. John,
Elissa H. Dougherty,
Nicola A. Conners Edge,
Joy R. Pemberton,
Karin L. Vanderzee,
Lorraine M. McKelvey
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of child and adolescent trauma
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1936-153X
pISSN - 1936-1521
DOI - 10.1007/s40653-020-00318-w
Subject(s) - moderation , arousal , psychology , traumatic stress , sleep (system call) , clinical psychology , public health , injury prevention , intrusion , poison control , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , medical emergency , social psychology , nursing , geochemistry , computer science , geology , operating system
Empirical evidence suggests young children who have experienced trauma are at risk of developing sleep problems and behavior difficulties, but it is unclear of the specific relation between these behavioral health concerns. The primary purpose of the study is to determine whether sleep problems moderate the relation between traumatic stress and behavior problems in a sample of young children referred for treatment. A secondary purpose is to explore if sleep problems also moderate the relation between specific domains of traumatic stress (i.e., intrusion, avoidance, arousal) and behavior problems. Data from 170 preschoolers ages 3 through 5 referred for treatment were gathered at intake and utilized in this study. Results indicate sleep problems moderate the effect of overall traumatic stress on behavior problems. This statistical finding also was found with intrusive symptoms, and the moderation analyses approached significance with avoidance and arousal. Our findings highlight the importance for clinicians to assess for sleep problems when young children who have experienced trauma are referred to them for treatment, particularly if a low level of overall traumatic stress is present.