Sleep Environments of Children in an Urban U.S. Setting Exposed to Interpersonal Violence

Abstract

This study investigated how violence influences children’s sleep environments. Sixty-five children ages 8–16 years and a parent or guardian were recruited from agencies serving families experiencing violence. At baseline (5 weeks post–violent event), 6 months, and 12 months postbaseline, study staff collected sleep-behavior information and conducted systematic, qualitative assessments of sleep environments. Child sleep problems were generally frequent and persistent. However, 9 children reported improved sleep after the violent event, mainly because perpetrators were no longer present. Sleeping environments were dynamic via changes in location and modifications to improve safety and sleep. Incongruence between children’s and parents’ perceptions of environmental characteristics influencing sleep was common. Families’ motivation to improve children’s sleep represents a foundation to build upon when working with families victimized by violence.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful for the support of participating families, the CWWVP, Cleveland’s Domestic Violence and Advocacy Center, the Jewish Family Services Association of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County’s Witness/Victim Service Center, and research assistants Chinonye Erokwu and Adah Zhang. We also gratefully acknowledge the support of the William T. Grant Foundation (grant #9792), and the helpful comments of three anonymous reviewers of an earlier version of this manuscript.