Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Sleep Disruption in Young Foster Children

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Child Psychiatry & Human Development Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the current study, sleep actigraphy and parent-report measures were used to investigate differences in sleeping behavior among four groups of 3- to 7-year-olds (N = 79): children in regular foster care (n = 15); children receiving a therapeutic intervention in foster care (n = 17); low income community children (n = 18); and upper middle income community children (n = 29). The children in therapeutic foster care exhibited longer sleep latency and increased variability of sleep duration than the upper middle income community children. In addition, there was an indication of a treatment effect: the therapeutic foster care children slept longer than the regular foster care and low income community children and had earlier bedtimes, fell asleep earlier, and spent more time in bed than the regular foster care children. The results are discussed in terms of the effectiveness of early intervention for enhancing sleep in foster children.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
€32.70 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Finland)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dahl R (1996) The regulation of sleep and arousal: development and psychopathology. Dev Psychopathol 8:3–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Sadeh A (1996) Stress, trauma, and sleep in children. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am 5:685–700

    Google Scholar 

  3. Van Reeth O, Weibel L, Spiegel K, Leproult R, Dugovic C, Maccari S (2000) Interactions between stress and sleep: from basic research to clinical situations. Sleep Med Rev 4:201–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mignot E, Taheri S, Nishino S (2002) Sleeping with the hypothalamus: emerging therapeutic targets for sleep disorders. Nat Neurosci 5:1071–1075

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Leathers SJ (2002) Foster children’s behavioral disturbance and detachment from caregivers and community institutions. Child Youth Serv Rev 24:239–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Sadeh A, McGuire JPD, Sachs H, Seifer R, Tremblay A, Civita R, Hayden RM (1995) Sleep and psychological characteristics of children on a psychiatric inpatient unit. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 34:813–819

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rimsza ME, Berg RA, Locke C (1988) Sexual abuse: somatic and emotional reactions. Child Abuse Negl 12:201–208

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sadeh A, Hayden RM, McGuire JPD, Sachs H, Civita R (1994) Somatic, cognitive and emotional characteristics of abused children in a psychiatric hospital. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 24:191–200

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Moore M (1989) Disturbed attachment in children: a factor in sleep disturbance, altered dream production and immune dysfunction. J Child Psychother 15:99–111

    Google Scholar 

  10. Beltramini AU, Hertzig ME (1983) Sleep and bedtime behavior in preschool-aged children. Pediatrics 71:153–158

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Dozier M (2005) Challenges of foster care. Attach Hum Dev 7:27–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Mindell JA (1999) Empirically supported treatments in pediatric psychology: bedtime refusal and night wakings in young children. J Pediatr Psychol 24:465–481

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bates JE, Viken RJ, Alexander DB, Beyers J, Stockton L (2002) Sleep and adjustment in preschool children: sleep diary reports by mothers relate to behavior reports by teachers. Child Dev 73:62–74

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Fisher PA, Chamberlain P (2000) Multidimensional treatment foster care: a program for intensive parenting, family support, and skill building. J Emot Behav Disord 8:155–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Fisher PA, Ellis BH, Chamberlain P (1999) Early intervention foster care: a model for preventing risk in young children who have been maltreated. Child Serv Soc Pol Res Pract 2:159–182

    Google Scholar 

  16. Spilsbury JC, Storfer-Isser A, Drotar D, Rosen CL, Kirchner LH, Benham H, Redline S (2004) Sleep behavior in an urban us sample of school-aged children. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 158:988–994

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Brooks-Gunn J, Duncan GJ (1997) The effects of poverty on children. Future Child 7:55–71

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Evans GW, English K (2002) The environment of poverty: multiple stressor exposure, psychophysiological stress, and socioemotional adjustment. Child Dev 73:1238–1248

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lupien SJ, King S, Meaney MJ, McEwen BS (2001) Can poverty get under your skin? Basal cortisol levels and cognitive function in children from low and high socioeconomic status. Dev Psychopathol 13:653–676

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Aber JL, Bennett NG, Conley DC, Li J (1997) The effects of poverty on child health and development. Annu Rev Public Health 18:463–483

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Rona RJ, Li L, Gulliford MC, Chinn S (1998) Disturbed sleep: effects of sociocultural factors and illness. Arch Dis Child 78:20–25

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kahn A, Van de Merckt C, Rebuffat E, Mozin MJ, Sottiaux M, Blum D, Hennart P (1989) Sleep problems in healthy preadolescents. Pediatrics 84:542–546

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Stein MA, Mendelsohn J, Obermeyer WH, Amromin J, Benca R (2001) Sleep and behavior problems in school-aged children. Pediatrics 107:e60

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Sadeh A, Sharkey KM, Carskadon MA (1994) Activity-based sleep-wake identification: an empirical test of methodological issues. Sleep 17:201–207

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sadeh A, Acebo C (2002) The role of actigraphy in sleep medicine. Sleep Med Rev 6:113–124

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Sadeh A (1994) Assessment of intervention for infant night waking: parental reports and activity-based home monitoring. J Consult Clin Psychol 62:63–68

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Acebo C, Sadeh A, Seifer R, Tzischinsky O, Hafer A, Carskadon MA (2005) Sleep/wake patterns derived from activity monitoring and maternal report for healthy 1-to 5-year-old children. Sleep 28:1568–1577

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Acebo C, Sadeh A, Seifer R, Tzischinsky O, Wolfson AR, Hafer A, Carskadon MA (1999) Estimating sleep patterns with activity monitoring in children and adolescents: how many nights are necessary for reliable measures? Sleep 22:95–103

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Aronen ET, Paavonen EJ, Fjallberg M, Soininen M, Torronen J (2000) Sleep and psychiatric symptoms in school-age children. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 39:502–508

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Lavigne JV, Arend R, Rosenbaum D, Smith A, Weissbluth M, Binns HJ, Christoffel KK (1999) Sleep and behavior problems among preschoolers. J Dev Behav Pediatr 20:164–169

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Sadeh A, Gruber R, Raviv A (2003) The effects of sleep restriction and extension on school-age children: what a difference an hour makes. Child Dev 74:444–455

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Steenari M, Vuontela V, Paavonen J, Carlson S, Fjallberg M, Aronen ET (2003) Working memory and sleep in 6- to 13-year-old schoolchildren. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 42:85–92

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Clausen JM, Landsverk J, Ganger W, Chadwick D, Litrownik A (1998) Mental health problems of children in foster care. J Child Fam Stud 7:283–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Klee L, Kronstadt D, Zlotnick C (1997) Foster care’s youngest: a preliminary report. Am J Orthopsychiatry 67:290–299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Pears KC, Fisher PA (2005) Emotion understanding and theory of mind among maltreated children in foster care: evidence of deficits. Dev Psychopathol 17:47–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Pears KC, Fisher PA (2005) Developmental, cognitive, and neuropsychological functioning in preschool-aged foster children: associations with prior maltreatment and placement history. J Dev Behav Pediatr 26:112–122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Weissbluth M, Davis AT, Poncher J, Reiff J (1983) Signs of airway obstruction during sleep and behavioral, developmental, and academic problems. J Dev Behav Pediatr 4:119–121

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Fisher PA, Kim HK (2007) Intervention effects on foster preschoolers’ attachment-related behaviors from a randomized trial. Prev Sci 8:161–170

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Fisher PA, Stoolmiller M, Gunnar MR, Burraston BO (2007) Effects of a therapeutic intervention for foster preschoolers on diurnal cortisol activity. Psychoneuroendocrinology 32:892–905

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Glod C, Teicher M, Hartman C, Harakal T (1997) Increased nocturnal activity and impaired sleep maintenance in abused children. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 36:1236–1243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. El-Sheikh M, Buckhalt JA, Mark Cummings E, Keller P (2006) Sleep disruptions and emotional insecurity are pathways of risk for children. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 48:88–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Wesensten NJ, Balkin TJ, Belenky G (1999) Does sleep fragmentation impact recuperation? A review and reanalysis. J Sleep Res 8:237–245

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Robins RW, Norem JK, Cheek JM (1999) Naturalizing the self. In: Pervin LA, John OP (eds) Handbook of personality: theory and research, Vol 8, 2nd edn. Guilford Press, New York, pp 443–477

    Google Scholar 

  44. Bruce J, Fisher JA, Pears KC, Levine S (2009) Morning cortisol levels in preschool-aged foster children: deifferential effects of maltreatment type. Dev Psychobiol 51:14–23

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Buckhalt JA, El-Sheikh M, Keller P (2007) Children’s sleep and cognitive functioning: race and socioeconomic status as moderators of effects. Child Dev 78:213–231

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Support for this research was provided by the following grants: R01 MH059780, NIMH, U.S. PHS; R01 HD045894, NICHD, U.S. PHS; and R01 DA021424 and P30 DA023920, NIDA, U.S. PHS. The authors thank the staff and families of the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care for Preschoolers program, Kristen Greenley for project management, and Matthew Rabel for editorial assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Oregon and Oregon Social Learning Center, 712 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA

    Jennifer R. Tininenko

  2. University of Oregon and Oregon Social Learning Center, Oregon Social Learning Center, 10 Shelton McMurphey Boulevard, Eugene, OR, 97401, USA

    Philip A. Fisher

  3. Oregon Social Learning Center, Oregon Social Learning Center, 10 Shelton McMurphey Boulevard, Eugene, OR, 97401, USA

    Jacqueline Bruce & Katherine C. Pears

Authors
  1. Jennifer R. Tininenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Philip A. Fisher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jacqueline Bruce
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Katherine C. Pears
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Philip A. Fisher.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tininenko, J.R., Fisher, P.A., Bruce, J. et al. Sleep Disruption in Young Foster Children. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 41, 409–424 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-010-0177-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-010-0177-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation