TY - JOUR
T1 - Sleep problems and posttraumatic stress
T2 - Children exposed to a natural disaster
AU - Lai, Betty S.
AU - La Greca, Annette M.
AU - Colgan, Courtney A.
AU - Herge, Whitney
AU - Chan, Sherilynn
AU - Medzhitova, Julia
AU - Short, Mary
AU - Auslander, Beth
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Objective: Sleep plays a critical role in children's growth and development. This study examined the frequency and persistence of children's sleep problems following a natural disaster, risk factors for children's sleep problems, and the bidirectional relationship between children's sleep problems and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) over time. Methods: This study assessed 269 children (53% female, M=8.70 years, SD = 0.95) exposed to Hurricane Ike at 8 months (Time 1) and 15 months (Time 2) post-disaster. Children completed measures of hurricane exposure and related stressors, stressful life events, sleep problems, and PTSS. Results: Children's sleep problems were significantly correlated from Time 1 to Time 2 (r = .28, p < .001). Risk factors for sleep problems at Time 2 were younger age, sleep problems at Time 1, and PTSS, not including sleep items, at Time 1. Examinations of the bidirectional relationship between sleep problems and PTSS indicated that PTSS significantly predicted later sleep problems, but sleep problems did not significantly predict later PTSS. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that PTSS may contribute to the development and course of children's sleep problems post-disaster.
AB - Objective: Sleep plays a critical role in children's growth and development. This study examined the frequency and persistence of children's sleep problems following a natural disaster, risk factors for children's sleep problems, and the bidirectional relationship between children's sleep problems and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) over time. Methods: This study assessed 269 children (53% female, M=8.70 years, SD = 0.95) exposed to Hurricane Ike at 8 months (Time 1) and 15 months (Time 2) post-disaster. Children completed measures of hurricane exposure and related stressors, stressful life events, sleep problems, and PTSS. Results: Children's sleep problems were significantly correlated from Time 1 to Time 2 (r = .28, p < .001). Risk factors for sleep problems at Time 2 were younger age, sleep problems at Time 1, and PTSS, not including sleep items, at Time 1. Examinations of the bidirectional relationship between sleep problems and PTSS indicated that PTSS significantly predicted later sleep problems, but sleep problems did not significantly predict later PTSS. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that PTSS may contribute to the development and course of children's sleep problems post-disaster.
KW - Disaster
KW - Life stress
KW - Posttraumatic stress
KW - Sleep.
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U2 - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsaa061
DO - 10.1093/jpepsy/jsaa061
M3 - Article
C2 - 32885231
AN - SCOPUS:85092119998
SN - 0146-8693
VL - 45
SP - 1016
EP - 1026
JO - Journal of Pediatric Psychology
JF - Journal of Pediatric Psychology
IS - 9
ER -