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Abstract
Sleep-related fears (i.e. fears related to sleep, nighttime and/or occurring before sleep) are linked to the development of anxiety and sleep problems in children. Parent- and child-report measurement tools are key to increasing understanding and facilitating better identification for treatment to prevent disorder development. We conducted a systematic review with the aim of identifying the breadth of parent- and child-report measures that include an assessment of sleep-related fears in children from 7 to 12 years old (stage 1) and reviewing the psychometric properties of measures that more comprehensively assess sleep-related fears (i.e. 3 or more items) using the COSMIN checklist (stage 2) to provide recommendations for measures (stage 3). A systematic search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC and PsycINFO in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. At stage 1, we retrieved 14,495 records. Of these, 66 papers met eligibility and included 43 distinct measures. At stage 2, 11 out of the 43 measures met criteria for more comprehensive measurement of sleep-related fears. Findings demonstrated mixed and incomplete data and very little high-quality evidence. No measures met criteria for recommendation and the majority of measures require further validation studies.
Highlights
Insomnia and related sleep disturbances are common in children, with prevalence rates of up to 40% (Combs et al, 2016; Fricke-Oerkermann et al, 2007; Lunsford-Avery et al, 2021; Owens et al, 2000a, 2000b)
Studies were included if (1) the mean age of the sample of children fell between 7.00 and 12.00 years inclusive; (2) the measure had the main aim of assessing mental health broadly or measuring constructs related to sleep-related fears; (3) the measure had at least one item related to sleep-related fears; (4) the main purpose of the paper was to describe the development of or examine psychometric properties of the measure; (5) responses were reported by parent or child and (6) the study was published in a peer-reviewed journal
Of these 43 measures, the majority had the main purpose of assessing anxiety or fear (n = 28), broader mental health (n = 8) and sleep (n = 7)
Summary
Insomnia and related sleep disturbances are common in children, with prevalence rates of up to 40% (Combs et al, 2016; Fricke-Oerkermann et al, 2007; Lunsford-Avery et al, 2021; Owens et al, 2000a, 2000b). The majority of anxious children (76–85%) experience clinically significant sleep disturbance (Alfano et al, 2010; Weiner et al, 2015). Sleep disturbances are associated with the development of later internalising difficulties and higher levels of anxiety severity (Alfano et al, 2007; Quach et al, 2018). A common manifestation in children that intersects anxiety and sleep problems is nighttime fears. These fears are heterogeneous and can include bedtime fears, separation fears, darkness, personal security and imagination-based
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