ABSTRACT

In this study, it is aimed to evaluate sleep habits and sleep problems between the attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders (AD) and healthy controls.

The study group consisted of 61 children (8-12 years old) with ADHD, 42 children with AD; the control group (87 children) comprised patients of other clinics at hospital. The Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children-Present and Lifetime Version was used. The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders forms were given in the AD group. Children's sleep habits were assessed with the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire.

It was found statistically signifi cant difference in bedtime resistance, the sleep onset delay, the sleep duration, the sleep anxiety, the night wakings, the parasomnias and the daytime sleepiness when comparing three groups. When the AD and ADHD group compared to healthy controls, it was obtained signifi cantly higher scores in terms of sleep habits except for the sleep disordered breathing in both groups.

In our study, sleep habits problems were more common in AD and ADHD groups comparing to healthy controls likewise literature.However, further studies with larger sample size and objective measures may allow us more knowledge in this area.