The Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Comorbid Psychopathology, and Behavior Problems in Autism: A Systematic Review

Sally Whelan; Bronwyn Keegan; Lucy Moffit; Ciana Cripps; Andrea Curtin; Autumn Farren Barton; Arlene Mannion; Geraldine Leader; Rory Coyne

doi:10.1007/s40489-024-00476-9

The Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Comorbid Psychopathology, and Behavior Problems in Autism: A Systematic Review

Sally Whelan, Bronwyn Keegan, Lucy Moffit, Ciana Cripps, Andrea Curtin, Autumn Farren Barton, Arlene Mannion, Geraldine Leader, Rory Coyne

University of Galway

Research output: Contribution to a Journal (Peer & Non Peer) › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Comorbid psychopathology in autism is prevalent, chronically underdiagnosed, and compounded by sleep problems. Little is known about the relationship between psychopathology and sleep quality across the lifespan. Six databases were systematically searched. N = 3467 items were examined against predetermined eligibility criteria. N = 46 included studies were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Data were thematically analyzed. Anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were commonly associated with all categories of sleep problems in autistic children and adolescents. Only N = 7 papers sampled autistic adults. These revealed mixed findings regarding the association between sleep and general comorbidity, depression, and anxiety. Future research needs to involve autistic adults, distinguish between diagnosed psychopathology and their symptoms, and ensure females are adequately represented in samples.

Original language	English
Journal	Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-024-00476-9
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2024

Keywords

Anxiety
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Bedtime Resistance
Depression
Insomnia
Night Waking

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10.1007/s40489-024-00476-9

Cite this

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title = "The Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Comorbid Psychopathology, and Behavior Problems in Autism: A Systematic Review",

abstract = "Comorbid psychopathology in autism is prevalent, chronically underdiagnosed, and compounded by sleep problems. Little is known about the relationship between psychopathology and sleep quality across the lifespan. Six databases were systematically searched. N = 3467 items were examined against predetermined eligibility criteria. N = 46 included studies were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Data were thematically analyzed. Anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were commonly associated with all categories of sleep problems in autistic children and adolescents. Only N = 7 papers sampled autistic adults. These revealed mixed findings regarding the association between sleep and general comorbidity, depression, and anxiety. Future research needs to involve autistic adults, distinguish between diagnosed psychopathology and their symptoms, and ensure females are adequately represented in samples.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bedtime Resistance, Depression, Insomnia, Night Waking",

author = "Sally Whelan and Bronwyn Keegan and Lucy Moffit and Ciana Cripps and Andrea Curtin and Barton, \{Autumn Farren\} and Arlene Mannion and Geraldine Leader and Rory Coyne",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.",

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doi = "10.1007/s40489-024-00476-9",

language = "English",

journal = "Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders",

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AU - Whelan, Sally

AU - Keegan, Bronwyn

AU - Moffit, Lucy

AU - Cripps, Ciana

AU - Curtin, Andrea

AU - Barton, Autumn Farren

AU - Mannion, Arlene

AU - Leader, Geraldine

AU - Coyne, Rory

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Comorbid psychopathology in autism is prevalent, chronically underdiagnosed, and compounded by sleep problems. Little is known about the relationship between psychopathology and sleep quality across the lifespan. Six databases were systematically searched. N = 3467 items were examined against predetermined eligibility criteria. N = 46 included studies were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Data were thematically analyzed. Anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were commonly associated with all categories of sleep problems in autistic children and adolescents. Only N = 7 papers sampled autistic adults. These revealed mixed findings regarding the association between sleep and general comorbidity, depression, and anxiety. Future research needs to involve autistic adults, distinguish between diagnosed psychopathology and their symptoms, and ensure females are adequately represented in samples.

AB - Comorbid psychopathology in autism is prevalent, chronically underdiagnosed, and compounded by sleep problems. Little is known about the relationship between psychopathology and sleep quality across the lifespan. Six databases were systematically searched. N = 3467 items were examined against predetermined eligibility criteria. N = 46 included studies were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Data were thematically analyzed. Anxiety, depression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were commonly associated with all categories of sleep problems in autistic children and adolescents. Only N = 7 papers sampled autistic adults. These revealed mixed findings regarding the association between sleep and general comorbidity, depression, and anxiety. Future research needs to involve autistic adults, distinguish between diagnosed psychopathology and their symptoms, and ensure females are adequately represented in samples.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Autism Spectrum Disorder

KW - Bedtime Resistance

KW - Depression

KW - Insomnia

KW - Night Waking

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85205371514

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DO - 10.1007/s40489-024-00476-9

M3 - Review article

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SN - 2195-7177

JO - Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

JF - Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

ER -

The Relationship Between Sleep Quality, Comorbid Psychopathology, and Behavior Problems in Autism: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Keywords

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