A cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based group sleep intervention improves behavior problems in at-risk adolescents by improving perceived sleep quality

Matthew J. Blake, Lian Snoep, Monika Raniti, Orli Schwartz, Joanna M. Waloszek, Julian G. Simmons, Greg Murray, Laura Blake, Elizabeth R. Landau, Ronald E. Dahl, Richard Bootzin, Dana L. McMakin, Paul Dudgeon, John Trinder, Nicholas B. Allen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

39 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to test whether a cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based group sleep intervention would improve behavior problems in at-risk adolescents, and whether these improvements were specifically related to improvements in sleep. Method Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial conducted with 123 adolescent participants (female = 60%; mean age = 14.48, range 12.04–16.31 years) who had high levels of sleep problems and anxiety symptoms. Participants were randomized into either a sleep improvement intervention (n = 63) or an active control “study skills” intervention (n = 60). Participants completed sleep and behavior problems questionnaires, wore an actiwatch and completed a sleep diary for five school nights, both before and after the intervention. Results Parallel multiple mediation models showed that postintervention improvements in social problems, attention problems, and aggressive behaviors were specifically mediated by moderate improvements in self-reported sleep quality on school nights, but were not mediated by moderate improvements in actigraphy-assessed sleep onset latency or sleep diary-measured sleep efficiency on school nights. Conclusion This study provides evidence, using a methodologically rigorous design, that a cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based group sleep intervention improved behavior problems in at-risk adolescent by improving perceived sleep quality on school nights. These findings suggest that sleep interventions could be directed towards adolescents with behavior problems. Clinical Trial Registration This study was part of The SENSE Study (Sleep and Education: learning New Skills Early). URL: ACTRN12612001177842; http://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx?searchTxt=ACTRN12612001177842&isBasic=True.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)147-156
Number of pages10
JournalBehaviour Research and Therapy
Volume99
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2017

Keywords

  • Adolescents
  • Anxiety
  • Behavior problems
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Depression
  • Mindfulness
  • Sleep

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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