Evaluation of the relationship between sensory profile, sleeping problems and behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorder

Aim :In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the relationship between the sensory profile, sleep problems and autism behaviorsof children with ASD. Method: 55 children aged 3-10 years who met the diagnosis of ASD according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and their parents were included as a case group after informing them about the study and obtaining their consent.In the control group, 55 children aged 3-10 years and their parents who volunteered for the study with healthy development were included.Sociodemographic data form and Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) was applied to the case and control groups included in the study. Following the diagnostic verification, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was administered by the investigator child psychiatrist, using clinical observation and family reports.Parents in the ASD and control groups were asked to fill the Sensory Profile Caregiver Questionnaire, Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire, Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC). Results:In our study, the education levels of the parents of the ASD group were found to be statistically significantly lower. Bedtime, sleep duration, night awakenings, parasomnias subscale scores and total sleep habits scale scores were found to be significantly higher in the ASD group compared to the control group. Children with severe autism symptom severity in the ASD group were found to have significantly higher bedtime, sleep duration, night awakenings, parasomnias subscale scores and total scale scores compared to children with mild/moderate autism severity. The sensory profile scores of the children in the ASD group were found to be significantly lower than control group. The sensory profile scores were found to be significantly lower in the group with severe autism symptom severity compared to the group with mild/moderate symptom severity.A negative correlation was found between sensory profile scores and sleep habits scores in the ASD group. A strong negative correlation was found between the tactile score of sensory profile and the parasomnia score of Childrens Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) .Asignificant correlation was found between the sensory profile scores and the autism behavior checklist scores in the ASD group. A significant relationship was found between autism behavior checklist score and CSHQ scores in the ASD group. Conclusion:We think that our study will contribute to the literature as it is the first study to evaluate the relationship between the sensory profile, sleep problems, autism behaviors and autism symptom severity of children with ASD.In our study, it was determined that children with autism had more sensory processing problems than the control group, and there was a significant difference in sensory profile scores between severe and mild/moderate ASD groups.In the case group, it was determined that the sensory profile was negatively related to sleep problems and positively related to autism behaviors.We think that sensory processing problems and the severity of autism symptoms may be a predictive factor for sleep problems in children with autism. We anticipate that more studies with large samples examining the relationship between sensory profile, sleep problems and autism behaviors in individuals with autism will contribute to the literature.