Sleep diffculties in adults with ID: personal and parental perception

To investigate: (a) the sleep problems that young adults (YA) with ID might be experiencing taking into account their own perspective, (b) the relationship between the YA and their parents’ sleep and (c) the coincidence between the YA and their parents’ perception of the YA’s sleep.

Method: Twelve adults aged 19–25 years and their parents were recruited from day centres. The parents completed sleep questionnaires regarding the YA sleep, their own sleep and daytime sleepiness. A structured interview was also held with nine of the YA, investigating their sleep habits.

Results: A high prevalence of sleep problems was found in YA with ID with the most common being: day-time sleepiness, sleep onset delay and night waking. Parents underestimated their children’s overall sleep problems. There was an association between the parents’ and the YA sleep. Parents’ perception of their children’s sleep problems (i.e. parasomnias, night waking, sleep anxiety, duration and delay) coincided with the YA perception of their problems.

Conclusion: Findings are in line with previous research and con?rm the expectation that YA with ID experience sleep problems. The importance of including the individuals’ input when assessing complex states such as sleep was revealed. Future research is needed with a larger sample to con?rm the results.