Validating a Measure of Sleep Hygiene in Children with ADHD for Use in Clinical and Research Settings

Sleep hygiene can be a problematic aspect of children's sleep; sleep hygiene involves behaviours surrounding bedtime such as doing a quiet activity before bed, as well as daytime behaviour such as limiting caffeine intake, that help to promote healthy sleep. Children with ADHD are reported to have a higher rate of sleep problems than typically developing children, and it is thought that poorer sleep hygiene may be a contributing factor. The goal of the current project is to create a questionnaire that can assess the sleep hygiene of these children, so that it can then be used in research to investigate differences in these children's sleep hygiene. It is also hoped that this questionnaire can be used to assess the sleep hygiene of these children in a clinical setting, so that their sleep hygiene can be improved during the course of treatment for any sleep problems they may be experiencing. This study will help to improve public health by improving the sleep of children, and in turn improving the social and emotional functioning of children, as well as their physical and mental health.