The use of Social Stories to help bedtime resistance in young school-aged children

Abstract

Background: Childhood sleep problems are highly prevalent and the association between sleep quantity and quality, and cognition, mood and behaviour is well documented. This is an area of particular relevance to EP practice. Objective: The current study explored the relatively novel approach of using a Social Story™ intervention to help establish and facilitate the child’s understand around a bedtime routine, providing specific reassurance and explanations where necessary. Method: Six children aged between 5 and 6 years-of-age, with bedtime resistance difficulties, received either a Social Story™ intervention (n = 3) or a Social Story™ and reward intervention (n = 3). A multiple baseline method with a 6-month follow up was employed. Parental report measures (sleep diaries and the Children’s Sleep Habit Questionnaire) and actigraphy, an objective measure of sleep, were used to monitor bedtime and sleep behaviours throughout the duration of the study. Results: Sleep diary data showed a reduction in the frequency of disruptive bedtime behaviours for all 6 children, associated with the introduction of the Social Story™ intervention. Actigraphy results showed a reduction in sleep onset latency (time between lights out and sleep start) and an increase in actual sleep time for 2 of the 6 children during the intervention. These 2 children were both male, received the Social Story™ and reward intervention and had poorer perspective taking skills. Conclusions: The study provides initial support for the use of a Social Story™ intervention with children in reducing bedtime resistant behaviours.

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ORCID for Catherine M. Hill: orcid.org/0000-0003-2372-5904

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