Citation

Cifre AB, Vieira A, Baker C, Myers A, Rech ME, Kim J, Zhang Y, Alfano CA. J. Clin. Sleep Med. 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

DOI

10.5664/jcsm.11152

PMID

38607244

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep disruption is prevalent and persistent among children who experience maltreatment/interpersonal trauma. Weighted blankets have gained popularity in recent years as a potential non-pharmacological intervention for improving sleep in various populations, but their efficacy has not been examined among maltreated children. The current study used a randomized, within-subjects, crossover design to examine whether the use of a weighted blanket improves objective and/or subjective indices of sleep among 30 children, ages 6 to 15 years (M = 9.7, SD = 2.9) adopted from foster care.

METHODS: Participants used a weighted blanket for two weeks and their usual blanket for two weeks in a counterbalanced order. Sleep outcomes were measured using actigraphy and subjective sleep diaries.

RESULTS: No differences in actigraphy-based or subjective estimates of total sleep time, sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, or sleep quality ratings were found based on blanket type. Child age, biological sex, timing of participation (school year versus summer months), and maltreatment/trauma history did not impact outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Although we did not find evidence that weighted blankets improve sleep among children with a history of maltreatment/interpersonal trauma, additional well-controlled studies using larger samples of children are needed.

Language: en

Keywords

actigraphy; children; foster care; maltreatment; sleep; weighted blankets