Objective sleep in pediatric anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To examine objective and subjective sleep problems in early-onset anxiety and depression.


METHODS
Children and adolescents (46% female, ages 7 to 17 years) with anxiety disorders (n = 24), major depressive disorder (MDD) without comorbid anxiety disorders (n = 128), or no history of psychiatric disorder (n = 101) spent two consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory and completed self-reports of sleep quality.


RESULTS
On objective measures, the anxiety group exhibited more awakenings than the MDD group, less slow-wave sleep than the control or MDD group, and greater night 2 sleep latency than the MDD or control group. The anxiety group exhibited no decrease in rapid eye movement latency from the first night to the second. The MDD group exhibited less time awake than the control group and less stage 1 sleep than the anxiety or control group. On subjective measures, young people with anxiety reported greater sleep latency on the second night and no decrease in sleep latency. Age was covaried in analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings provide objective and subjective evidence of sleep disturbance in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and replicate findings of limited objective sleep disturbance in those with MDD. Sleep problems are an important consideration when treating young people with anxiety.
Forbes
Erika E
EE
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.. Electronic address: forbese@upmc.edu.
Bertocci
Michele A
MA
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.
Gregory
Alice M
AM
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.
Ryan
Neal D
ND
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.
Axelson
David A
DA
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.
Birmaher
Boris
B
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.
Dahl
Ronald E
RE
All of the authors are with the University of Pittsburgh, except Dr. Gregory, who is with Goldsmiths College, London University.
D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010414:Pennsylvania; D017286:Polysomnography; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012894:Sleep Stages