0078 Assessing Sleep Health in Children Recently Adopted from Foster Care

Abstract

Abstract Introduction An estimated 450,000 children were in the U.S. foster care system in 2019. Early adversity including maltreatment and/or neglect renders this vulnerable population at high risk for negative outcomes, both physical and psychological. Burgeoning evidence suggests that children in foster care develop high rates of sleep disruption. Sleep disruption is associated with negative life outcomes including heart disease, diabetes, and psychiatric disorders. However, there is still a lack of knowledge examining sleep health in children adopted from foster care. Methods Sleep quality and problems were examined among a sample of children adopted from foster care (n = 234) within the past two years, ages 4 to 11 years (M = 5.94, SD = 1.97). Caregivers across the US were invited to complete an anonymous Qualtrics survey via private Facebook groups for foster families. The Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was completed by foster parents to assess child sleep problems (e.g., nightmares, bedwetting, snoring, etc.) and overall sleep quality. Caregivers endorsed sleep problems and frequency using responses “Never,” “Sometimes,” and “Usually; sleep quality was rated using a Likert scale from 1 = Very Poor to 10 = Excellent. Results Paired-samples t-test compared first month (i.e., when first arrived in the home) and current child sleep quality based on caregiver-report. Sleep quality showed significant improvement since arrival in the foster home; t(233) = 12.98, p < .001, d = 0.85. However, on the CSHQ, 99% of the sample scored above the clinical cutoff for this measure indicating elevated sleep problems. Conclusion Children adopted from foster care show some improvement in sleep quality after achieving permanency. However, these data suggest this population continues to experience clinical levels of sleep problems even after being adopted. Our results suggest a need for specialized intervention services targeting sleep health among children recently adopted from foster care. Support (If Any) None