ERIC Number: EJ836191
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Jun
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1360-2322
EISSN: N/A
Evaluation of Brief Group-Administered Instruction for Parents to Prevent or Minimize Sleep Problems in Young Children with Down Syndrome
Stores, Rebecca; Stores, Gregory
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, v17 n2 p61-70 Jun 2004
Background: The study concerns the unknown value of group instruction for mothers of young children with Down syndrome (DS) in preventing or minimizing sleep problems. Method: (1) Children with DS were randomly allocated to an Instruction group (given basic information about children's sleep) and a Control group for later comparison including objective sleep measures (actometry); and (2) As a secondary exercise, parental reports of sleep problems and objective sleep measures were compared in children with DS and a small sample of unimpaired children (U group) of comparable age and sex distribution. Results: Instruction (shown to have improved mothers' knowledge) was associated with improvement in behavioural sleep problem ratings at 6-month follow up with no change in sleep-related breathing problem ratings or actometry findings. Sleep-related breathing problem symptoms and actometry abnormalities were significantly more common in the DS group than in the U group at baseline, with no obvious differences for behavioural sleep problems. Conclusions: Group instruction offers some benefit regarding behavioural sleep problems but not for sleep-related breathing problems to which more attention should be paid in children with DS, with a view to precise diagnosis and treatment.
Descriptors: Group Instruction, Mothers, Down Syndrome, Sleep, Young Children, Intervention, Program Evaluation, Program Effectiveness, Behavior Problems, Parenting Skills, Comparative Analysis, Knowledge Level, Correlation, Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A