The relationship between Health-Related Quality of Life and sleep problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Jennifer Delahaye, Erica Kovacs, Darryn Sikora, Trevor A. Hall, Felice Orlich, Traci E. Clemons, Emma Van Der Weerd, Laura Glick, Karen Kuhlthau

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

73 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are thought to experience sleep problems at a much higher rate than typically developing peers, the relationship between sleep disturbance and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) has not been explored within this pediatric population. Further, little is understood about the HRQoL of children with ASD in general. This study assessed the HRQoL and sleep health of a sample of children with ASD and investigated the relationship between HRQoL and overall sleep problems within the context of key clinical characteristics. Study participants included 86 parents of children with ASD between the ages of 4 and 12 years. Subjects were recruited from 3 autism specialty clinics at large academic medical centers and asked to proxy-report on their children's HRQoL and sleep habits. Adjusted regression models showed a consistent negative relationship between sleep disturbance and HRQoL, with greater overall sleep problems being associated with poorer total, physical, and psychosocial HRQoL. Sleep duration and sleep anxiety were also found to be negatively associated with HRQoL. These findings suggest that treatments that are effective in treating sleep disturbances may improve children's HRQoL.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)292-303
Number of pages12
JournalResearch in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Volume8
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire
  • Health-Related Quality of Life
  • Pediatrics
  • PedsQL
  • Sleep problems

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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