The neglected issue of sleep: A curricular and home-based intervention for improving sleep patterns among sixth-class children in an Irish urban school with high levels of poverty

Abstract

This study seeks to examine the importance of sleep health in an Irish urban school context of high poverty. It adopts an action research approach to conduct small-scale research with a non-probability sample of twenty-four sixth class pupils, to ascertain whether a five-week school and home based intervention can improve; sleep behaviours among the participants; self-reported daytime sleepiness of participants; and self-reported motivation to improve sleep health. The results indicated a notable improvement in child-reported daytime sleepiness, particularly among high-risk children. There was also a reduction in children reporting a bedtime post-midnight after the intervention. This intervention is innovative in its approach, as it provides a possible model for implementing a sleep health programme in the Irish primary curriculum to address the current Irish national policy neglect of this issue. It incorporates a parental involvement element, which has been recommended by previous international sleep interventions [Blunden et al. 2012. “Does Sleep Education Change Sleep Parameters? Comparing Sleep Education Trials for Middle School Students in Australia and New Zealand.” The Open Sleep Journal 5: 12–18]. In addition, it aims to exert behaviour change, not just changing attitudes. These results, coupled with a positive feedback from children, their parents and class teacher, suggest positive potential for curricular multi-disciplinary model interventions in addressing sleep health needs among school-aged children.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Ciara Hargadon is a Research Associate with the Educational Disadvantage Centre, Institute of Education, Dublin City University and a teacher in an urban DEIS primary school

Dr Paul Downes is Associate Professor of Education (Psychology), Director of the Educational Disadvantage Centre, Institute of Education, Dublin City University and a Member of the European Commission Network of Experts on the Social Aspects of Education and Training (NESET) Coordinating Committee.