Better Days, Better Nights: Treatment for Sleep Difficulties (Telephone Coached)

Better Days, Better Nights: Treatment for Sleep Difficulties (A Sleep Intervention Module of the Family Help Program)

The purpose of the Strongest Families (formerly Family Help Program)is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Strongest Families distance intervention compared to usual or standard care that is typically provided to children with mild to moderate sleep onset latency and/or bedtime resistance difficulties. This is a single-centre trial based at the IWK Health Centre. The primary outcome is change in sleep patterns (sleep onset latency and/or bedtime resistance).

The purpose of the Family Help Sleep Program is to deliver, primary care mental health services to children and their families in the comfort and privacy of their own home. Approximately 80 children (6-12 years of age)suffering from mild to moderate sleep onset latency and/or bedtime resistance will be randomized.

The intervention is delivered from a distance, using an educational handbook and telephone consultation with a trained paraprofessional "coach" who is supervised by a licensed health care professional. The telephone coach delivers consistent care based on written protocols, with on-going evaluation by a professional team.

Inclusion Criteria:

• children 5-12 years of age
• attending grades primary-6 (Elementary School)
• sleep onset latency and/or bedtime resistance
• speak and write English
• provides parental authorization
• has access to telephone in home

Exclusion Criteria:

• any mental health disease with the exclusion of disruptive behavior disorder
• neurological conditions
• moderate to severe cognitive impairment
• has received a behavioral intervention for sleep difficulties in the past 6 months
• nocturnal enuresis
• sleep apnea
• co-sleeping