Social work treatment of sleep disturbance in a 5-year-old boy: A single-case evaluation

Objective: A social work intervention with sleep disturbance in a family comprising a mother and her 5-year-old son using a behavior-analytic approach. Sleep disturbance is a common childhood problem that can adversely affect family functioning, parental relationship, and child development, but in general, social workers do not deal with the problem. Method: Baseline assessment was conducted followed by a descriptive analysis. Intervention techniques included parent training, positive reinforcement, and a behavioral-collaborative approach. Results: The child learned to settle when sent to bed and to sleep through the night. The social work intervention was effective in empowering the mother to effect change with her child in the home setting. Conclusion: Behavior analysis can be effective in dealing with sleep problems and in providing a framework for antioppressive social work practice.