From Tired and Scared to Alert and Brave: Treatment and Prevention Effects of a Sleep Program for Young Children on Anxiety

Background and Objectives: This brief report examined the comorbidity between sleep and anxiety symptoms in young children presenting for treatment of their sleep problems, and determined the ability of a parent-focused, group-based sleep program to a) produce a clinically significant reduction in anxiety symptoms and b) prevent the emergence of later anxiety symptoms in children who were non-anxious at baseline. Design: The study was a single-blind RCT whereby parents were randomly assigned to either the intervention (Lights Out) or care as usual (CAU) conditions. Method: Participants were 128 parents aged 19-49 years (M = 37.2 years) of young children with sleep problems aged 3-5 years (M = 4.5 years). Sleep and anxiety measures were assessed at baseline and 8-month follow-up. Results: A significantly lower percentage of children in the Lights Out (21.5%) compared to CAU (38.8%) condition remained in the elevated anxiety range at follow-up. Of those in the non-elevated anxiety range at baseline, a greater percentage in the CAU (22.7%) compared to the Lights Out (3.7%) condition had moved into the elevated anxiety range by follow-up. Conclusions: Treating sleep problems in young children can lead to a reduction in comorbid anxiety and may prevent the later emergence of anxiety.