Acceptability of an online intervention for insomnia in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

BackgroundMost children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) experience insomnia. Online interventions may provide a way to reduce barriers to treatment access. AimsWe explored whether parents of children with NDDs and their health care professionals (HCPs) perceived an online insomnia intervention as acceptable and the perceived pros and cons of this intervention delivery method. Methods and proceduresParticipants included 43 parents of children with NDDs and 44 HCPs who work with children with NDDs. During focus groups/interviews participants shared their perceptions of a hypothetical online insomnia intervention. Responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and codes were grouped into pros and cons. Outcomes and resultsParents and HCPs reported similar pros and cons. Pros focused on the intervention’s accessibility, credibility, usability, usefulness, and design, whereas cons focused on feasibility of implementation. Participants felt that external support (e.g., an online coach) would improve the intervention’s acceptability. Conclusions and implicationsOverall, the majority of parents and HCPs perceived an online intervention for insomnia as acceptable but concerns about implementation were noted and need to be taken into account when developing online interventions