Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Introduction Insomnia and related symptoms, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, are common in middle childhood, however, reported prevalence rates vary widely across studies. Objective To provide a synthesis of the prevalence of insomnia and related symptoms in children aged 6 to 11 years. Methods Following pre-registration, a systematic search was completed in May 2024. Studies were included if they were observational and involved community samples of children aged 6 to 11 years. Meta analyses were planned along with several subgroup and moderator analyses. Preliminary Results Seventy-five studies met criteria and were included (n = 173 197). Due to significant heterogeneity across studies, data are presented through narrative synthesis, with meta-analytic estimates planned where feasible. Preliminary findings revealed that prevalence rates varied widely, reflecting differences in measurement instruments, frequency thresholds, recall periods, and scoring approaches. The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) were the most commonly used questionnaires, however, inconsistent and often low thresholds were applied to define sleep difficulties. Most studies reporting insomnia focused solely on nighttime symptoms, omitting criteria such as daytime impairment and adequate sleep opportunity. Only four studies assessed insomnia based on current diagnostic criteria, with prevalence estimates ranging from 6.8% to 15%. Conclusions These preliminary findings highlight the need for more standardised and consistent methodologies that align with diagnostic standards to improve comparability and accuracy in prevalence estimates.
Source: SLEEP Advances
Authors: T Hathway, A Scott, J Dudeney, B Dear, L McLellan
Institution: Macquarie University
Language: English
Topic: Sleep and related disorders
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,054
OpenAlex ID: W4414779940
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