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Treating preschooler behavioural sleep problems via parent‐mediated telehealth: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Behavioural sleep problems in the preschool developmental period (ages 3–5 years) are highly prevalent and associated with a myriad of deleterious consequences including anxiety, in the short‐ and long‐term. This study examined a parent‐focused behavioural sleep intervention for children...

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Published in:British Journal of Clinical Psychology Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 824 - 844
Main Authors: Shiels, Amy, Farrell, Lara J., Donovan, Caroline L.
Format: research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Sep2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Sep2026
      vid: 65
      iid: 3
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
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        10.1111/bjc.70001
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        atl: Treating preschooler behavioural sleep problems via parent‐mediated telehealth: A randomized controlled trial.
      aug:
        au:
          Shiels, Amy
          Farrell, Lara J.
          Donovan, Caroline L.
        affil: School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Mount Gravatt Queensland,, Australia
      sug:
        subj:
          Sleep Disorders Therapy
          Behavior Therapy Methods
          Psychoeducation
          Parents Education
          Videoconferencing
          Patient Satisfaction
          Program Evaluation
          Treatment Outcomes
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Child, Preschool
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Australia
          Randomized Controlled Trials
          Random Assignment
          Comparative Studies
          Pilot Studies
          Questionnaires
          Analysis of Variance
          Descriptive Statistics
          Data Analysis Software
          Pearson's Correlation Coefficient
          Chi Square Test
          Sleep Disorders Prevention and Control
          Fear Prevention and Control
          Anxiety Prevention and Control
          Child, Preschool: 2-5 years
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Objectives: Behavioural sleep problems in the preschool developmental period (ages 3–5 years) are highly prevalent and associated with a myriad of deleterious consequences including anxiety, in the short‐ and long‐term. This study examined a parent‐focused behavioural sleep intervention for children aged from 3 to 5 years, delivered individually via three × fortnightly 90‐min telehealth (synchronous videoconference) sessions, in terms of its ability to improve child sleep, nighttime fears and anxiety. Methods: Parents of children aged 3 to 5 years (M = 3.57; SD =.56) were randomly allocated to either the Lights Out Videoconference (LOV) or care‐as‐usual (CAU) conditions and completed measures of child sleep problems, anxiety and nighttime fears at pre‐treatment (T1), two weeks post‐treatment (T2) and at 3‐month follow‐up (T3). Parents also completed a measure of treatment satisfaction. Results: Compared with the CAU condition (n = 16), children whose parents participated in the LOV condition (n = 19) reported a significantly greater reduction in sleep problems, anxiety and nighttime fears from T1 to T2, with treatment effects being maintained at T3. Treatment satisfaction of both the programme, resources and mode of delivery was very high. Conclusions: A brief, behavioural sleep intervention delivered via videoconferencing for young children is acceptable to parents and represents an efficacious and convenient alternative to face‐to‐face treatment for sleep that has secondary effects on nighttime fears and broader anxiety issues. Universal Trial Number (UTN): U1111‐1264‐8191. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ANZCTR): 12621000466842 retrospective. The trial was registered retrospectively as the application for registration was submitted after the first participant was registered for the programme. This was a clerical oversite of the authors as to the timing of registration submission. The sleep diaries included in the registration of the trial were not analysed due to significant missing data in the CAU condition. Additionally, some of the secondary outcomes in the trial registry will be published in a separate, paper, which focuses on parents' impressions of the programme and parenting factors.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        randomized controlled trial
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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