Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre
Research projects - Sleep
It is critical to understand why sleep problems commonly occur in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and to develop effective treatments. Sleep difficulties can negatively affect children's learning and behaviour. Children's sleep problems also disturb parents' sleep and have a negative impact on family wellbeing. Our research has consistently found that around two thirds of children with ASD have significant sleep problems that are associated with significant daytime behaviour issues, and that mothers experience poor sleep and wellbeing. These findings were supported in May 2010 by a study of 1056 children with ASD via the Autism Treatment Network (ATN), USA, which reported that 65% of children with an ASD had significant sleep problems associated with daytime behaviour issues.
1. Sleep Research
Dr Richdale and her students at RMIT University have conducted a range of research projects regarding sleep problems and sleep interventions over the past 15 or more years. This research has included investigation of the prevalence and types of sleep problems found in autism, the impact of sleep problems on children and their parents, and interventions for settling and night waking. At present, together with RMIT Master of Psychology student Courtney Michaels, she is investigating links between psychopathology and sleep in high-functioning children with an ASD.
Since joining OTARC earlier this year she has published a major review on sleep in autism with Dr Kimberly Schreck (Penn State USA), and co-organised a Sleep in Autism Special Interest Group with Prof Beth Malow (Vanderbilt, USA) at the IMFAR meeting in Chicago in May. She will be co-editing a volume “Advances in Sleep Disorders” with Prof. Malow which will form part of a new autism clinical serial with Prof. Margaret Bauman as serial editor.
Dr Richdale is completing a project with Dr Schreck on parents’ knowledge of children’s sleep. Parents of children with an ASD as well as parents of typically developing children and parents of children with other developmental disabilities have participated in this study. Dr Richdale will be continuing her sleep research at OTARC and currently has a new sleep and ASDs intervention study in the planning stages.