A multimethod evaluation of bed provision and sleep education for young children and their families living in poverty
Abstract
Study objectives: We evaluated the impact of bed provision and sleep education through the Beds for Kids (BfK) program on early childhood sleep and behavior and maternal mood and sleep.
Methods: Twenty-seven mother-child dyads (childage= 2-5 years, 85.2% Black) living in poverty and without an individual child bed were randomly assigned (multimethod randomized waitlist control trial design) to BfK intervention ∼1 week postbaseline (initial intervention) or ∼2 weeks postbaseline (waitlist control), with follow-up at 1 month. BfK intervention (home bed delivery and written sleep health education) was provided to all families. Children wore actigraphs and mothers completed daily diaries to assess child and maternal sleep, child behavior, and maternal mood for the initial 1-week comparison period. Maternal-reported child sleep and behavior (internalizing and externalizing problems) were collected at 1 month after BfK participation for all families; 11 families completed a qualitative interview at 1-month follow-up.
Results: At 1 week after BfK, mothers' sleep duration increased by 1 hour compared to that of waitlist controls. No changes were found in child sleep, child behavior, or maternal mood. However, at 1 month after BfK intervention, improvements were found in mother-reported child night awakenings, sleep quality, sleep problems, and behavior. Mothers qualitatively reported significant BfK benefits for child sleep and family well-being, although they noted challenges to…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
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