title: Iii. Sleep assessment methods.
abstract: Sleep is a complex phenomenon that could be understood and assessed at many levels. Sleep could be described at the behavioral level (relative lack of movements and awareness and responsiveness) and at the brain level (based on EEG activity). Sleep could be characterized by its duration, by its distribution during the 24-hr day period, and by its quality (e.g., consolidated versus fragmented). Different methods have been developed to assess various aspects of sleep. This chapter covers the most established and common methods used to assess sleep in infants and children. These methods include polysomnography, videosomnography, actigraphy, direct observations, sleep diaries, and questionnaires. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: The Adler Center for Research in Child Development and Psychopathology, School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadeh
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005195:Family Relations; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007154:Immune System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012107:Research Design; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors