Cindy Y. Nam

Abstract

Research examining the impact of children’s autism and the sleep problems frequently associated with the disorder on parents’ stress has been quite limited. Studies have been constrained by methodological problems, including small sample sizes and the examination of children of autism within larger groups of children with a range of developmental disabilities. Typically, diagnostic criteria used to select children for an autism study is not indicated and no measure of the severity of children’s symptomology is included. The present investigation was designed to examine children’s autism symptomology and parents’ reports of their children’s sleep problems as well as the parents own sleep difficulties in relation to parenting stress.

Preliminary analyses indicated that children’s level of autism, parents’ reports of their children’s sleep problems and of their own sleep problems, were each correlated with parents’ child- related stress. Regression analysis revealed that both children’s autism and sleep problems predicted parents’ stress. However, the parents' own sleep did not contribute to the variance. Importantly, after controlling for child age and gender, mothers’ sleep, and severity of autism, children’s sleep was a significant predictor of maternal stress. Findings suggest including children’s sleep problems along with their symptomatic behavior when examining factors contributing to stress in mothers of children with autism. Additional analyses examined the assessed domains of children’s sleep problems (e.g., parasomnias) in relation to the parent’s child domain stress.

The present study reveals the importance of children’s sleep problems in children with autism along with their behavioral symptoms. Findings suggest including children’s sleep problems along with their symptomatic behavior when examining factors contributing to stress in mothers of children with autism. In addition, distinguishing whether the sleep problems are due to sleep maintenance or sleep initiation may help clarify the mode of treatment such as behavioral modification or medication that will best benefit the family unit.

LLU Discipline

Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Charles Hoffman

Second Advisor

Kiti Freier

Third Advisor

Joy Nichols

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Level

M.A.

Year Degree Awarded

2007

Date (Title Page)

8-2007

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Autistic Disorder; Stress, Psychological; Sleep Disorders -- in infancy and childhood; Parenting -- psychology; Parent-Child Relations; Maternal Behavior -- psychology

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 65

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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