Storybook App vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Child Sleep and Attachment

Summary

This completed randomized controlled trial compared two caregiver-delivered interventions for sleep in young children: a multimodal mobile health intervention delivered through the Storybook mobile application and a face-to-face psychoeducational intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles. The study was conducted in Azuay Province, Ecuador.

Children aged 12 to 84 months were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the Storybook group, caregivers used the mobile application at home for 40 minutes per day for 1 month. The application guided caregivers through calming bedtime activities, including guided massage, audio stories, and music. In the comparison group, caregivers received eight 40-minute face-to-face psychoeducational sessions over the same 1-month period. These sessions focused on sleep hygiene and behavioral strategies, including consistent bedtime routines, positive reinforcement, and management of disruptive pre-sleep behaviors.

The study assessed whether the Storybook application and the cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducational intervention were associated with changes in child sleep quantity, sleep quality, and parent-child attachment. Sleep and attachment were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized questionnaires and an attachment assessment.

Conditions

• Pediatric Sleep Problems
• Sleep Hygiene
• Parent-Child Attachment

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

CBT-Based Psychoeducational Intervention

Caregivers received eight 40-minute face-to-face psychoeducational sessions over 1 month. Sessions were delivered twice weekly and were based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles. The intervention focused on behavioral strategies for child sleep, including sleep hygiene, consistent bedtime routines, positive reinforcement, and management of disruptive pre-sleep behaviors.

BEHAVIORAL

Storybook Mobile Application Intervention

Caregivers used the Storybook mobile application at home with the child for 40 minutes per day over 1 month. The intervention included caregiver-led reading, guided massage, and affection-based activities delivered through the application to support bedtime routines, child sleep initiation, and caregiver-child interaction.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Católica de Cuenca

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Juan P Viñanzaca López, MSc · Universidad Católica de Cuenca

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

12 Months

Max Age

84 Months

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-03-12

Primary Completion

2024-06-20

Completion

2024-06-20

Countries

• Ecuador

Study Locations