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Behavioral symptoms and sleep problems in children with anxiety disorder
Author(s) -
Iwadare Yoshitaka,
Kamei Yuichi,
Usami Masahide,
Ushijima Hirokage,
Tanaka Tetsuya,
Watanabe Kyota,
Kodaira Masaki,
Saito Kazuhiko
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/ped.12620
Subject(s) - bedtime , anxiety , sleep disorder , sleep (system call) , anxiety disorder , separation anxiety disorder , generalized anxiety disorder , clinical psychology , medicine , psychiatry , hamilton anxiety rating scale , psychology , insomnia , computer science , operating system
Abstract Background Sleep disorders are frequently associated with childhood behavioral problems and mental illnesses such as anxiety disorder. To identify promising behavioral targets for pediatric anxiety disorder therapy, we investigated the associations between specific sleep and behavioral problems. Methods We conducted retrospective reviews of 105 patients aged 4–12 years who met the DSM‐IV criteria for primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (n = 33), separation anxiety disorder (n = 23), social phobia (n = 21), or obsessive compulsive disorder (n = 28). Sleep problems were evaluated using the C hildren's S leep H abits Q uestionnaire ( CSHQ ) and behavioral problems by the Spence C hildren's A nxiety S cale, O ppositional D efiant B ehavior I nventory ( ODBI ), and D epression S elf‐ R ating S cale for C hildren. Results Depressive behavior was weakly correlated with CSHQ subscores for sleep onset delay and night waking but not with total sleep disturbance. Anxiety was correlated with bedtime resistance, night waking, and total sleep disturbance score. Oppositional defiance was correlated with bedtime resistance, daytime sleepiness, sleep onset delay, and most strongly with total sleep disturbance. On multiple regression analysis ODBI score had the strongest positive association with total sleep disturbance and the strongest negative association with total sleep duration. Conclusions Sleep problems in children with anxiety disorders are closely related to anxiety and oppositional defiant symptoms.