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Introduction
The document to be analyzed is The moderating roles of bedtime activities and anxiety/depression in the relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and sleep problems in children by Tong et al. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects at least five percent of children. It is linked with the development of other disorders, especially sleep problems. Almost three-quarters of ADHD cases have sleep disturbances. These disturbances are also related to contextual factors such as screen time and meals before sleep. Most previous studies found an association between poor bedtime activities and sleep disturbance. The study aimed to identify the relationship between eating behaviors and screen time with sleep disturbances. Its main purpose was to investigate the role of depression and anxiety, how it affects the link between ADHD and sleep disturbance.
Main text
The study was a cross-sectional design. It employed quantitative methods in the collection of data. The study involved students and their parents. They were selected by stratified random sampling, 934 students from three primary schools in Shanghai. Each was given a questionnaire. The questionnaires acted as scoring systems. The parents gave input on the anxiety and ADHD levels of their children. The children gave information on the amount of screen time and their diet behaviors before bedtime.
Ten percent of the children showed ADHD symptoms. It was more prevalent in boys at 14.3 percent compared to 6.1 percent in girls. The study showed that the length of sleep did not vary among those who have ADHD when compared to the non-symptomatic. The symptomatic group had a higher prevalence of sleep disorders. Moreover, the symptomatic group watched more hours of television and ate more snacks before bedtime. They also had more depression/ anxiety problems. The correlation analysis conducted showed that the symptoms of ADHD were significantly connected to the occurrence of sleep disturbances. The analysis also revealed that diet behavior and depression/ anxiety were linked to sleep problems. However, sleep disturbance was marginally associated with screen activity or length of sleep on the weekdays. The goals of the research were proven due to the relationship found between ADHD, anxiety/ depression, and sleep disorders.
The discussion explains the association between ADHD and sleep disturbances. Children with ADHD had poor sleep etiquette, having higher screen time and snack-eating before bedtime (Tong et al.). The higher screen time was credited to the willingness of parents of hyperactive children to avoid undesired behaviors. The absence of difference in length of sleep between the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups over the weekdays was attributed to the rigorous school schedule during the period. Hence, over the weekend, children with ADHD had longer sleep times as they compensated for their fatigue accumulated over the week. This was linked to the likelihood of ADHD to co-occur with anxiety or depression. These emotional issues affected their ability to handle the stresses of the school-going days. Screen time, whether high or low, was found to increase the occurrence of sleep disorders in ADHD especially sleep-disordered breathing.
The main shortfall of the study was its subjectivity. The parents were to estimate the length of sleep of their children. Some of them might have adjusted the length to the recommended time. There was no manipulation of variables to determine the actual causative agents of sleep disorders in ADHD.
Conclusion
Tong et al. stated: Children with more screen time were more likely to have sleep onset delay, while those with less screen time had more sleep onset problems with increased ADHD symptoms. They recommend proper sleep hygiene and emotional management would be useful in managing sleep disorders (Tong et al.).
Work Cited
Tong, Lian et al. The Moderating Roles of Bedtime Activities and Anxiety/Depression in the Relationship Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Sleep Problems in Children . BMC Psychiatry, vol 18, no. 1, 2018.
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