Neuropsychiatric Investigation
Original Article

Relationship of Sleep Disturbances in Children with Depression / Anxiety Symptoms in Children and Their Parents During the Covid-19 Pandemic

1.

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, İstanbul University-Cerrahpaşa, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

2.

Department of Public Health, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

3.

Department of Pediatrics, İstanbul Medeniyet University, Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey

Neuropsychiatric Investigation 2022; 60: 42-48
DOI: 10.5152/NeuropsychiatricInvest.2022.22013
Read: 1001 Downloads: 514 Published: 14 July 2022

Objective: Sleep disturbances are reported as common in children during the COVID-19 outbreak. This study was designed to investigate relationship between sleep problems of children and depression/anxiety symptoms in both children and their parents.

Methods: A total of 372 parents completed a web-based survey on sociodemographic and clinical data. The psychiatric status was assessed using Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI), Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale–Parent Version (RCADS-P), and Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children.

Results: It was found that significant sleep disturbances were higher in school-aged children (P = .015). HAI and RCADS-P scores were higher in children with sleep disturbances in all developmental periods. DASS-21 subscale scores were higher in preschoolers and school-aged children with significant sleep disturbances.

Conclusion: Depression and anxiety symptoms in children and parents are associated with sleep problems in children. In addition, school-aged children can be thought to be more at risk for depression/anxiety symptoms and sleep problems. Psychiatric evaluation of children and their parents is recommended when sleep problems occur in children during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Cite this article as: Koyuncu Z, Gökler ME, Seçen Yazıcı M, et al. Relationship of sleep disturbances in children with depression / anxiety symptoms in children and their parents during the Covid-19 pandemic. Neuropsychiatr Invest. 2022;60(2):42-48.

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