Association Between Sleep Problem and Repetitive Behaviour in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Correlation Study

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience sleep disturbances, such as difficulty falling asleep and frequent night wakings, which can exacerbate repetitive behaviours like hand-flapping and rocking. These sleep problems may increase the frequency and intensity of repetitive behaviours, affecting the child's overall well-being. This study aims to explore the relationship between sleep issues and repetitive behaviours in children with ASD Study Design: A Correlational study. Aim: To identify the relationship between sleep problem and repetitive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder.  Objective: To assess sleep problem in children with autism spectrum disorder. To evaluate repetitive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder. To find relation between sleep problem and repetitive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder Participants: In this study, 73 children with autism spectrum disorder were included after taking Informed consent from the parents. Methods: This study employs a correlational design to examine the relationship between sleep problem and repetitive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder. Result: A statistically significant relationship was found between sleep problems and repetitive behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) and the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire-3 (RBQ3), a moderate positive correlation of 0.342 was observed. The p-value of 0.003 confirms the statistical significance of this relationship, supporting the alternative hypothesis that sleep disturbances are linked to increased repetitive behaviours in children with ASD. Conclusion- The study concluded that there is a positive correlation between sleep disturbances and repetitive behaviours suggests that improving sleep quality may help reduce these behaviours. These insights underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing sleep issues to enhance well-being in children with ASD.