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Sezen Kose
Ege University Faculty of Medicine
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Ipek Inal Kaleli
Ege University School of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Izmir, Turkey
Presenter
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Furkan Turer
Corlu State Hospital
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Hilal Nur Calik Senturk
University of Health Sciences Turkey, Yenimahalle City Hospital, Ankara
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Nazlı Burcu Özbaran
EÜTFH ÇOCUK ERGEN PSİK KLİ
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Tezan Bildik
Ege University School of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Izmir, Turkey
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Damla Hazal Ozuysal Uyar
University of Health Sciences Turkey, Dr. Behcet Uz Children's Hospital
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Abstract
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Aim
This study aimed to investigate the relationships among sensory processing, and sleep disruption in children aged 6–10 years, with a particular focus on the mediating role of ADHD in these associations.
Methods
Participants (n = 120) included 60 children aged 6–10 years diagnosed with ADHD matched with 60 typically developing (TD) controls. Evaluations were conducted using the semi structured diagnostic interview Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia to assess current psychopathology in children. Parents completed the Conners ADHD Scale, the Sensory Profile to evaluate sensory processing across four domains Low Registration (LR), Sensory Sensitivity (SENS), Sensory Seeking (SEEK), and Sensory Avoidance (SA), and the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) to measure sleep disturbances. Group comparisons were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables. Mediation analyses, were conducted in R with packages lmtest and mediation (version 4.2.0).
Results
ADHD group (age: 9.78 ± 1.12, 66.7% male) had significantly higher Conners ADHD Scale scores across all dimensions compared to TD controls (age: 9.52 ± 0.81, 66.7% male). Sensory processing challenges were more pronounced in the ADHD group, reflected in significantly lower scores in LR (p = 0.014), SENS (p = 0.019), and SEEK (p = 0.002). Sleep problems were also more frequent, with significantly higher total CSHQ scores in the ADHD group compared to TD controls (p = 0.010).
Mediation analyses revealed that SEEK significantly influenced total CSHQ scores, indirectly through ADHD scores. The total effect of SEEK on sleep disruption was significant (B = -0.16, p = 0.002), as was the indirect effect mediated by ADHD (B = -0.11, p = 0.002). However, SEEK had no significant direct effect on CSHQ scores (p = 0.355), with approximately 65% of the total effect mediated through ADHD. For other sensory domains, LR, SENS, and SA, significant total effects on sleep disruption were observed. However, ADHD did not significantly mediate these relationships, suggesting additional contributing factors.
Conclusion
The findings highlight ADHD’s specific mediating role in the relationship between Sensory Seeking and sleep disruption. Interventions targeting sensory seeking behaviors in children with ADHD may help improve sleep outcomes. Other sensory domains while influential, may affect sleep through more complex and indirect pathways.
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