Behavioral Sleep Treatment in ADHD Across Child and Adolescent Development: Recent Findings, Integration with Existing Interventions, and Emerging Directions
Abstract
Purpose of review: Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent among youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and contribute to emotional, cognitive, and functional impairments. Although historically under-addressed in ADHD treatment, there is increasing recognition of sleep as a critical intervention target. This paper synthesizes recent advances in behavioral sleep interventions for youth with ADHD, emphasizing developmental considerations spanning early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence.
Recent findings: Across developmental periods, growing evidence supports the feasibility and effectiveness of behavioral sleep interventions, particularly for improving parent- and self-reported sleep outcomes. We also examine the limited literature on integrating sleep-focused strategies into established evidence-based behavioral treatments for ADHD, highlighting opportunities and challenges for embedding sleep within existing care models.
Summary: We identify key emerging directions, including the need for developmentally-tailored and mechanistically-informed interventions, increased focus on circadian and sleep regularity processes, and scalable delivery approaches leveraging digital and integrated care settings. Advancing this work holds promise for improving both nighttime sleep and daytime functioning for youth with ADHD and their families.
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