Association Between Challenging Behaviour and Sleep Problems in Adults Enrolled in the Global Angelman Syndrome Registry.
Heather Coleman, Arlene Mannion, Sally Whelan and 4 others
PMID 38767816WHAT IT FOUND
No significant links were found between challenging behaviour and early development, gut symptoms, seizures or communication in 37 adults with Angelman syndrome.
Sleep arousal problems and lack of physical therapy were associated.
Key findings
0121 of 37 adults with Angelman syndrome were classified as having challenging behaviour.
02No significant associations were found between challenging behaviour and developmental history, gastrointestinal symptoms, seizures, or communication variables.
03Challenging behaviour was significantly associated with lack of physical therapy and with sleep disorders of arousal.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Small registry sample of 37 adults, with high missing data for several variables. Participants were self-selected and parents reported behaviours and therapy from memory. The design is cross-sectional, so it cannot show whether sleep problems or lack of physical therapy cause challenging behaviour. The sleep measure was designed for children, and the behavioural grouping used a cut-off set by the researchers.
Declared interests
The study was funded by National University Ireland, Galway. No other conflicts of interest were stated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that physical therapy reduces challenging behaviour. The study found only an association between not receiving physical therapy and challenging behaviour, and it did not test physical therapy as a treatment.