Association Between Sleep Times and Seclusion and Restraint Events in an Inpatient Pediatric Psychiatric Hospital: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Objective To examine demographic characteristics of patients who experience seclusion and restraint (S&R) events in a pediatric psychiatric inpatient setting and assess whether sleep time 24 hours prior and after the occurrence of an S&R event was different from average sleep time during hospitalization. Methods Charts from an acute care inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric unit from 2012 to 2014 were reviewed. A paired samples t test was performed to look for significant differences in sleep time 24 hours prior to S&R versus average sleep times for the same patients during hospitalization. Results A total of 232 S&R events occurred between 2012 and 2014. Of the incidents, 172 involved children who were ≤ 12 years old, and 178 incidents involved male patients. A paired sample t test revealed a significant mean (SD) decrease in sleep time prior to S&R (9.5 [2.24]) compared to average sleep time during hospitalization (10.07 [1.08], t₂₀₅ = -3.722, P < .01). Conclusions The study results reveal a statistically significant reduction in sleep time 24 hours prior to an S&R event compared to average sleep duration during hospitalization. The association between sleep times and subsequent problem behaviors in an inpatient setting require further evaluation.