Treatment efficacy in behavioral pediatric sleep medicine

Abstract

Behavioral interventions have been identified as the treatment of choice for many forms of pediatric sleep disturbance. We adopt criteria established by the Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures (1996) to evaluate the literature base describing behavioral interventions for pediatric sleep disturbance. Three well-established interventions, one promising intervention and one probably efficacious intervention, have emerged for bedtime refusal and frequent nighttime awakenings. Only one intervention for sleep terrors and sleepwalking has sufficient empirical support to be considered promising. Behavioral interventions targeting circadian rhythm disorders (e.g., delayed sleep phase), nightmares and rhythmic movement disorder (RMD) have not been researched sufficiently to be considered empirically supported.