Actively Recruiting

Age: 6Years - 9Years
All Genders
ID06971640

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

Led by Duke University · Updated on 2026-05-05

250

Participants Needed

1

Research Sites

N/A

Total Duration

On this page

Sponsors

D

Duke University

Lead Sponsor

N

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborating Sponsor

AI-Summary

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 child's 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.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

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

Who Can Participate

Age: 6Years - 9Years
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Child ages 6 to 9 years
  • Meets criteria for a primary psychiatric diagnosis of DSM-5 ADHD, any presentation
  • Intellectual functioning above 80
  • Generally healthy with no major medical problems
  • If applicable, willing to suspend use of melatonin during the study period
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Diagnosis of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or autism spectrum disorder according to DSM-5
  • Diagnosis of occult sleep disorders such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome
  • Taking medication for sleep other than melatonin
  • Plans to start stimulant medication during the study period

AI-Screening

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Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - 2 to 4 weeks

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 visit (in-person)

Observational Assessments

Duration - Approximately 2 weeks

Participants complete questionnaires and assessments about their child's attention, behavior, psychiatric health, and sleep habits, including a lab-based melatonin assessment at night.

3 visits (including 1 lab visit at night and 2 in-person visits)

Monitoring

Duration - 7 days

Participants have their child wear a wristwatch-like device for 7 days, complete daily electronic sleep diaries, and use skin temperature and mattress sensors to measure sleep and related parameters.

Continuous monitoring over 7 days with daily diary entries

Trial Site Locations

Total: 1 location

1

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27705

Actively Recruiting

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Research Team

M

Matt Gibson

J

Jessica Lunsford-Avery, Ph.D.

How is the study designed?

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Masking

N/A

Allocation

N/A

Model

N/A

Primary Purpose

N/A

Number of Arms

0

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Published Research Related To This Trial

Sleep habits of children diagnosed with attention/ deficit/ hyperactivity disorder and effects of treatment on sleep related parameters.

Çiğdem Yektaş, Ali Evren Tufan, Enes Sarıgedik

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32361211

Sleep and daytime sleepiness in adolescents with and without ADHD: differences across ratings, daily diary, and actigraphy.

Stephen P Becker, Joshua M Langberg, Hana-May Eadeh...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31032953

Circadian preference and sleep timing from childhood to adolescence in relation to genetic variants from a genome-wide association study.

Ilona Merikanto, Jari Lahti, Liisa Kuula...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29982088

Mortality in children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide cohort study.

Søren Dalsgaard, Søren Dinesen Østergaard, James F Leckman...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25726514