0758 Initial Efficacy of a Brief, Trauma-Informed Sleep Intervention for Children in Foster Care

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Children in foster care experience impairing sleep problems that contribute to greater attachment, emotional and behavioral problems concurrently and over time. Sleep nonetheless remains a critically neglected aspect of health among this vulnerable group. To address the unique sleep needed of this population, we developed a brief, telehealth-delivered behavioral sleep intervention for caregivers of young children currently or formerly in foster care, called Sleep and Adjustment in Foster Environments for Toddlers and Preschoolers (SAFE-T). The current study examined the initial efficacy of SAFE-T. Methods N = 25 foster or adoptive foster parents with a 2- to 5-year-old child (M = 3.9; SD = 1.7) were recruited from the state of Texas. After a baseline assessment including the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) and Parenting Stress Index (PSI), families were randomized to SAFE-T or an active control group. SAFE-T families (n = 14) received 3 telehealth-delivered sessions with a therapist who provided information about healthy sleep and trauma-informed suggestions for reducing child sleep problems. Control families (n = 11) were sent an informational booklet about sleep to keep. A post-treatment assessment was completed approximately one month after he initial assessment. Results Compared to the control group, the SAFE-T group evidenced greater reductions in total CSHQ sleep problem scores (η2 = .14), including Sleep Anxiety (partial eta squatted = .16), Sleep Onset Delay (η2 = .08), Bedtime Resistance (η2 = .09) and Daytime Sleepiness (η2 = .07) scores at post treatment. Based on the PSI, caregivers in the SAFE-T group reported greater reductions in Difficult Child scores (η2 = .35), Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interactions (η2 = .31) and Parenting Stress (η2 = .16) compared to the control group. Conclusion Medium to very large effects were found for reductions in caregiver-reported child sleep problems as well as parenting stress following intervention with SAFE-T. These promising results suggest that a brief, trauma-informed sleep intervention may be effective in improving child sleep health and caregiver well-being in foster families. Support (if any) This study was funded by the Grant to Enhance and Advance Research (GEAR) from the University of Houston.