Understanding Sleep Patterns and Circadian Delay in Children Ages 6 to 9 with ADHD and Their Impact on Behavior and Thinking

What this Trial Is About

This research focuses on children aged 6 to 9 with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD. It aims to better understand sleep and circadian rhythms in these children using home-based monitoring, parent reports, and lab-based melatonin assessments. The study also investigates how sleep relates to psychiatric health and cognitive function in children with ADHD. The study is led by Dr. Jessica Lunsford-Avery from the Department of Psychiatry at Duke University. Participants will attend three study visits, including one with a nighttime lab-based melatonin assessment. They will have their child wear a wristwatch-like device for 7 days to monitor sleep timing and circadian rhythm. Parents will complete daily electronic diaries about their childs sleep, and children will wear a skin temperature sensor each evening until morning. A mattress sensor will also be used to measure movement, sleep state, and heart rate during the study period. Throughout the study, researchers will evaluate sleep timing nightly for 7 nights at home and measure dim light melatonin onset during the second in-person visit. Parents will provide information through questionnaires assessing sleep disturbances, sleep routines, and chronotype shortly after the study period. Participants will be compensated for their time, and the study is planned to continue until November 2029.

Advancing Identification of Circadian Delay in ADHD Youth: Associations With Clinical Heterogeneity and Cognition