Affiliation:
1. Department of Health and Care, School of Health and Welfare Halmstad University Halmstad Sweden
2. Psychiatry Halland, Region Halland Halmstad Sweden
3. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Region Halland Halmstad Sweden
4. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Lund University Lund Sweden
5. Department of Health and Sport, School of Health and Welfare Halmstad University Halmstad Sweden
Abstract
SummaryWeighted blankets are a non‐pharmacological intervention for treating sleep and anxiety problems in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, research on the efficacy of weighted blankets is sparse. The aim of this randomized controlled trial with a crossover design (4 + 4 weeks) was to evaluate the efficacy of weighted blankets on sleep among children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and sleeping problems. Children diagnosed with uncomplicated Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder with verified sleep problems were randomized to start with either a weighted blanket or a lighter control blanket. Data collection was performed at weeks 0, 4 and 8 using actigraphy, questionnaires and a daily sleep diary. T‐tests were used to evaluate efficacy. The study included 94 children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (mean age 9.0 [sd 2.2] years; 54 [57.4%] boys). Weighted blankets had a significant effect on total sleep time (mean diff. 7.72 min, p = 0.027, Cohen's d = 0.24), sleep efficiency (mean diff. 0.82%, p = 0.038, Cohen's d = 0.23) and wake after sleep onset (mean diff. −2.79 min, p = 0.015, Cohen's d = −0.27), but not on sleep‐onset latency (p = 0.432). According to our exploratory subgroup analyses, weighted blankets may be especially beneficial for improving total sleep time in children aged 11–14 years (Cohen's d = 0.53, p = 0.009) and in children with the inattentive attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtype (Cohen's d = 0.58, p = 0.016). Our results suggest that weighted blankets may improve children's sleep and could be used as an alternative to pharmacological sleep interventions.
Funder
Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd
Majblommans Riksförbund
Region Halland
Subject
Behavioral Neuroscience,Cognitive Neuroscience,General Medicine