A Sleep program for preschoolers by guiding their parents
Official title: A Prevention-Focused Behavioral Intervention for Preschoolers Via Their Parents
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11426901 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A parent-delivered, prevention-focused sleep program for preschoolers aged 2–4 to help kids sleep better and support family wellbeing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $744,538 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL187686-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11426901 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 2–4 years with insufficient sleep and no diagnosed sleep disorder, along with their parents, are eligible.
✕Less likely to help
Families where the child’s sleep problem is due to factors not addressed by the program or where engagement with a parent-delivered approach is not feasible may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a behavioral sleep program delivered to parents of preschoolers who have insufficient sleep. In a two-arm randomized controlled trial, parent participants will be assigned to receive the Sleep Tight intervention or a control condition, with 198 parent-child dyads enrolled. The study will measure child sleep outcomes and explore potential benefits for child social-emotional functioning, as well as parental sleep and wellbeing. The program emphasizes developmentally appropriate strategies to improve bedtime routines, behavior regulation, and family routines. Results could inform scalable, family-centered approaches to prevent sleep problems and related health impacts in early childhood.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, families could experience better child sleep, improved behavior and mood in children, and better well-being for parents.
How similar studies have gone: Prior similar behavioral sleep interventions in young children have shown improvements in child sleep and caregiver outcomes, with growing evidence for parent-delivered approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Adams, Elizabeth — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Adams, Elizabeth
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.