The Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Sleep Problems in Autistic Children with Co-occurring Anxiety

Purpose: This study seeks to examine the relationship between anxiety-symptom severity and sleep behaviors in autistic children receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Methods: We conducted a secondary-data analysis from a sample of 93 autistic youth, 4 to 14 years, participating in 24 weeks of CBT. Clinicians completed the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS) and parents completed the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire, Abbreviated/Short Form (CSHQ-SF) at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment and 3 months post-treatment. Mediation analysis evaluated the role of anxiety symptoms in mediating the effect of time in treatment on sleep.

Results: There was a negative association between time in treatment and scores on the CSHQ-SF (b = - 3.23, SE = 0.493, t = - 6.553, p < 0.001). Increased time in treatment was associated with decreased anxiety (b = - 4.66, SE = 0.405, t = - 11.507, p < 0.001), and anxiety symptoms decreased with CSHQ-SF scores (b = 0.322, SE = 0.112, t = 2.869, p = 0.005). The indirect effect of time in treatment on CSHQ-SF scores through PARS reduction was negative, but not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Increased time in CBT was associated with decreased anxiety severity and improved sleep behaviors. Reductions in anxiety symptoms may mediate improvements in sleep problems, but larger sample sizes are necessary to explore this further.