Sleep Problems and Dissociation in Preschool Victims of Sexual Abuse

Objective: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with a host of deleterious impacts, yet little is known on the short-term correlates in children. This study aimed to investigate the association between dissociation and sleep problems in a sample of preschool-aged sexual abuse victims, while controlling for potentially confounding variables, including gender, age, polytrauma, CSA characteristics and parental distress. Method: The sample consisted of 179 children (ages 3–6 years) and their non-offending parent. Parents completed self-report questionnaires assessing their child’s dissociative symptoms and sleep problems as well as their own level of psychological distress. Results: Regression analyses revealed that sleep problems were significantly associated with dissociative symptoms, over and above all other control variables (children’s gender and age, polytrauma and parental distress). Longer duration of sexual abuse also predicted greater dissociative symptoms in preschool children. Conclusion: Findings highlight the association between sleep problems and dissociation in preschool-aged victims of CSA. Further research is needed to understand their impact on children’s development to design appropriate treatment and prevention initiatives aimed at fostering resilience in young vulnerable children.