Initial Validation of the Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Cancer Model

OBJECTIVE : The current study evaluates content validity of the Sleep Disturbance in Pediatric Cancer (SDPC) model using qualitative and quantitative stakeholder input. METHODS : Parents of children (aged: 3-12 years) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 20) and medical providers (n = 6) participated in semi-structured interviews about child sleep during cancer treatment. They also rated SDPC model component importance on a 0-4 scale and selected the most relevant sleep-related intervention targets. RESULTS : Qualitatively, parents and providers endorsed that changes in the child’s psychosocial, environmental, and biological processes affect sleep. Stakeholders rated most model components (parent: 32 of 40; provider: 39 of 41) as important (>2) to child sleep. Parents were most interested in interventions targeting difficulty falling asleep and providers selected irregular sleep habits/scheduling, though groups did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS : Stakeholders supported SDPC content validity. The model will inform subsequent measure and intervention development focusing on biological and behavioral factors most salient to sleep disturbances in pediatric cancer.