Disruptive mealtime behaviors, dietary supplements, and hyperactivity/noncompliance predict clinically significant insomnia symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder.
In a sample of 103 children with autism (mean age 5.8 years, 77.7% male), 33% had clinically significant insomnia symptoms (PAIRS ≥ 22). After adjusting for confounders, disruptive mealtime behaviors, parent health-related quality of life and family functioning, ABC subscales, and dietary supplements were significantly associated with insomnia symptoms; best subset modeling identified ABC hyperactivity/noncompliance, dietary supplements, and mealtime behaviors as the most significant predictors (ROC = 0.842).
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Disruptive mealtime behaviors, dietary supplements, and hyperactivity/noncompliance predict clinically significant insomnia symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder. The current body of evidence comprises 1 study. EvidenceHub rates the overall confidence at 34/100 (low).
The Claim
Disruptive mealtime behaviors, dietary supplements, and hyperactivity/noncompliance predict clinically significant insomnia symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder.
This conclusion is most relevant to: Children with autism spectrum disorder aged 2-10 years (mean 5.8 ± 2.2 years) from a general outpatient autism clinic.
What the Research Shows
The conclusion draws on 1 linked study. Highlights from the cited literature:
- ▸Clinical Correlates of Insomnia Symptoms in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. (The Journal of pediatrics, 2025) —
How It Works
The proposed biological pathway:
- ▸Disruptive mealtime behaviors may contribute to sleep disruption through behavioral arousal or gastrointestinal discomfort
- ▸Hyperactivity/noncompliance may reflect underlying dysregulation that impairs sleep initiation or maintenance
- ▸Dietary supplement use may indicate underlying nutritional or metabolic issues affecting sleep
- ▸Result: These factors collectively predict clinically significant insomnia symptoms in autistic children
Who Might Benefit
Evidence fit by population:
- ▸Children with autism spectrum disorder aged 2-10 years (mean 5.8 ± 2.2 years) from a general outpatient autism clinic
Recommended Dose
N/A
Limitations & Caveats
Important context when interpreting this evidence:
- ▸Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
- ▸Reliance on parent-report measures (PAIRS, ABC) may introduce reporting bias
- ▸Sample size (n=103) limits generalizability and power for subgroup analyses
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PAIRS cutoff used to define clinically significant insomnia?▼
The study used a PAIRS score ≥ 22 to define clinically significant insomnia symptoms, which identified 33% of the sample.
Were there any differences in height, weight, or constipation between children with and without insomnia?▼
No, the study found no group differences in height, weight, constipation, or demographics.
What were the strongest predictors of insomnia in this study?▼
The best subset model identified ABC hyperactivity/noncompliance, dietary supplement use, and disruptive mealtime behaviors as the most significant predictors.
Is this study applicable to all children with autism?▼
The sample was from a general outpatient autism clinic with a mean age of 5.8 years and predominantly male (77.7%), so results may not generalize to older children, females, or those in specialized settings.
References
- 1.Wenzell ML, Pulver SL, Scahill L, Davidson T, Rajagopal S, Gillespie S, Huang T, Griggs S, Roark C, Patil M, Patel M, Sharp WG. “Clinical Correlates of Insomnia Symptoms in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder..” The Journal of pediatrics, 2025. PMID: 40962108 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114812