Study on sleep and behaviour in autistic children

Do you have a child or sibling with autism? Would you like to know if they sleep well at night and how sleep may have an impact on their daytime functioning? Take part in this study to find out! More than 80% of autistic children experience insufficient sleep which can significantly undermine their health and development.

This online study - conducted by a Child Development MSc student at UCL - looks at the role of sleep disturbance in anxiety and behavioural problems in autistic children. 

Who is it for?

The researcher is seeking participants who are:

• Parents/siblings/caregivers of autistic children aged 6-16 years
• Fluent in English
• Over 18 years of age

What will it involve? 

Participants will complete a 30-minute survey assessing the child's medical conditions, sleep habits, and severity of anxiety, repetitive behaviour, and sensory problems. You will also record the child's daily sleep and wake-up times for one week (which should take 2-3 minutes per day).

What else do I need to know?

The study is voluntary and will be conducted entirely online. Upon the completion of the study, you will receive a summary with professional evaluation of the assessment results. As a result, you may gain an insight into the child's levels of sleep difficulties, anxiety and behavioural problems.

How do I sign up?

To take part in this online study, please visit this website.

This study has been approved by the Psychology and Human Development department ethics committee at the UCL Institute of Education (reference no.: YIU_120318_CHDEV_1DD_2JM)

Sin-Yu Yiu, Child Development MSc, UCL Institute of Education