Session Schedule

Find a specific presentation in the session by navigating to the timestamp indicated below.

0:00:00
Introduction

0:00:51
Preventing postpartum insomnia: A three-arm RCT of CBT-I, responsive bassinets, and sleep hygiene
Meagan Crowther (Australia)

0:19:04
Promoting infant sleep through enhanced co-parenting: Results from a sleep-adapted family foundations intervention
Douglas Teti (United States)

0:38:28
The “bedtime checking” sleep intervention in infants with insomnia: Preliminary results
Liat Tikotzky (Israel)

0:56:25
Addressing parental cognitions to improve infant insomnia: Results from a randomized controlled trial
Sooyeon(Aly) Suh (Korea, Republic of)

1:15:30
Enhancing imagery rehearsal therapy with the DreamChanger: A novel approach for treating nightmares in children
Michal Kahn (Israel)

Summary

Sleep problems in young children are pervasive, with profound implications for health, development, and family dynamics. This symposium presents cutting-edge research on early prevention and intervention approaches for sleep difficulties in young children, featuring five innovative randomized controlled trials (RCTs) spanning multiple countries and developmental stages. The presentations progress from preventive approaches in early life to interventions for specific sleep disorders, offering insights into targeted solutions for improving children's sleep and family well-being.
Opening with early prevention, Dr. Bei Bei will present results from a three-arm RCT comparing the efficacy of responsive bassinets, therapist-assisted CBT-I, and sleep hygiene education in first-time mothers. Using a robust longitudinal design, 127 nulliparous women were randomized at 26-32 weeks' gestation, with interventions continuing through 6 months postpartum. Infant sleep outcomes were systematically assessed at 2, 6, and 12 months of age through maternal reports, providing insights into both immediate and longer-term intervention effects.
Building on preventive strategies, Dr. Douglas Teti will present findings from a three-arm RCT testing an adapted version of the Family Foundations intervention (FFsleep) that focuses on co-parenting around infant sleep, against both the original intervention, and a no-treatment control condition. This study demonstrates how targeting co-parenting quality in sleep contexts from pregnancy to 4 months postpartum improves sleep duration, waking after sleep onset, and sleep fragmentation, with particularly strong effects for female infants.
Transitioning to interventions for sleep disorders, Dr. Liat Tikotzky will present findings from an ongoing RCT comparing two behavioral intervention approaches for early childhood insomnia. Families with infants aged 9-18 months are randomly assigned to either “standard checking” (modified extinction) or “bedtime-only checking” (modified extinction implemented only at bedtime). Sleep outcomes are assessed through actigraphy, sleep diaries, and questionnaires, with follow-up assessments conducted two weeks post-intervention. Preliminary results indicate that the bedtime-only approach is as effective as standard intervention, offering parents a gentler, gradual alternative for improving their child’s sleep.
Next, Dr. Aly Suh will discuss results from an RCT evaluating a cognitive intervention targeting maladaptive parental beliefs about sleep. Parents of children aged 6-24 months were randomized to a cognitive intervention or an active control. Outcomes—assessed via parental cognition measures, sleep diaries, and auto-videosomnography—highlight the role of addressing parental beliefs in improving sleep outcomes for young children.
The symposium will conclude with Dr. Michal Kahn's presentation on treating childhood nightmares, featuring preliminary results from an RCT combining Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) with the novel DreamChanger intervention. Preliminary findings from this ongoing trial suggest that parent-delivered IRT, enhanced with the DreamChanger intervention, significantly reduces nightmare frequency and severity in children aged 3-10 years compared to a waitlist control.
These RCTs collectively showcase innovative solutions to prevent and treat pediatric sleep difficulties. By addressing developmental timing, parental factors, and diverse delivery methods, this symposium highlights rigorously tested approaches with potential for wide-scale implementation. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of current advances in pediatric sleep research, with practical implications for clinicians and researchers alike.