Sleep Research
WHAT IS THE RESEARCH ABOUT?
This project aims to explore whether a school-based sleep intervention (sleep-club) can support children to make positive decisions to improve their sleep behaviours, academic outcomes and their social-emotional and behavioural well-being. The information provided as part of this research could help you to learn more about children’s sleep from a psychological perspective and to have information about tried and tested strategies that have helped many parents of children with sleep difficulties.
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All parents that have taken part in phase one and/or phase two of the research will be able to claim their free 22-page easy read sleep booklet with information, hints and tips to develop better child and adult sleep.
WHAT IS THE SLEEP CLUB?
The Sleep club intervention is a weekly club that is hosted by a trainee Educational Psychologist in her final year of doctoral training.
The sleep club aims to promote positive sleep behaviours in primary school-aged children. It will be held with children using a behavioural approach to differentially reward the most positive sleep-related behavioural changes made by each child on a week- to week basis. No child will be penalised for not having made any changes, or having made little changes, but they will receive smaller and/or less rewarding items.
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The intervention consists of a six-week sleep-club taking place in small groups. Each session will last for a total of 25 minutes.
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Parents will be asked to complete a weekly sleep diary the week prior, and for the duration of the intervention to return to the school prior to the sleep-club taking place. They will then be asked to complete two further seep diaries to help to evaluate the outcome of the intervention.
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FREE TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS: Parents whose children have been provided with consent to take part in the Sleep Club will be entitled to two free 30 minute telephone consultations with Sanchia. This can be to discuss sleep-related concerns and to be provided with personalised recommendations and support to help the child to overcome these difficulties.
The approach uses a psycho-educational (psychological and educational) approach to deliver sleep-related information to the child participants in an age-appropriate and fun way. A behavioural approach is also taken to differentially reward the most positive sleep-related behavioural changes made by each child, therefore no child will be penalised for not having made any changes, or having made little changes.
Research Outcomes
The research was completed in May 2018. The findings from the research are summarised in this poster (click here)