0805 Melatonin Use Among Children in Foster Care: Associations with Sleep and Daytime Behavior
Abstract
Abstract Introduction In recent years, melatonin use has risen steeply in children of all ages. It is also the most commonly recommended intervention for sleep problems among children in foster care (Alfano et al., 2022) despite a lack of evidence of its safety and efficacy for children with a history of maltreatment/trauma. This study therefore investigated and compared aspects of sleep and daytime emotional/behavioral problems among children in foster care who have and have not been administered melatonin. Methods Survey data from N=454 caregivers from across the U.S. who were currently fostering children between the ages of 4- and 11-years-old (M=6.39, SD=2.20) were examined (McGlinchey et al., 2023). Caregivers were recruited for an anonymous online survey via private Facebook groups for foster families. Questions included whether or not they had ever administered melatonin to the foster child, aspects of the child’s sleep, and emotional/behavioral problems. Children included in the sample were relatively diverse, with 17% Black/African American and 11% Hispanic children from 46 U.S. states. Results Forty-eight percent (48%; n = 221) of foster caregivers reported administering melatonin to their child currently or in the past. ANCOVAs controlling for level of foster care (i.e., children with special needs) revealed melatonin use was associated with poorer sleep quality, F(1, 423)=25.118, p<.001, partial η²=.056, and increased severity of daytime behavioral problems, F(1,…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tryptophan Metabolism and Gut-Brain Homeostasis
- Rationale for a Multi-Factorial Approach for the Reversal of Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease and MCI: A Review
- Prioritized Research for the Prevention, Treatment, and Reversal of Chronic Disease: Recommendations From the Lifestyle Medicine Research Summit
- Relationship between sleep disorders and gut dysbiosis: what affects what?
- The role of CLOCK gene in psychiatric disorders: Evidence from human and animal research
- Genetic, Transcriptome, Proteomic, and Epidemiological Evidence for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption and Polymicrobial Brain Invasion as Determinant Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.