Causes and consequences of sleep disturbance in young people

Section A presents a systematic review of the literature exploring the psychosocial challenges faced by young people with delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD). The review
found that young people with DSPD experience psychosocial challenges beyond those of their peers, including poorer cognitive performance and mental health and increased
difficulties in social and family relationships. Implications for clinical practice were that clinicians should consider the presence and impact of DSPD in formulations to inform best treatment. Further UK-based research would be beneficial, with a particular focus on qualitative research to explore the young person’s inner experience.

Section B presents a study exploring adolescents experience of sleep during the covid19 pandemic and proposes a theory of how sleep problems may be perpetuated. Grounded
theory was used to analyse the interviews of eleven adolescents who had experienced changes in their sleep since the start of the pandemic. A theoretical model suggested that
ways of coping with the pandemic had a detrimental impact on participants sleep, with the way in which this was managed in the longer term affecting recovery of their sleep. The
model provides a framework for clinicians when working with adolescents with sleep problems in the wake of the pandemic