From short-term benefits to developmental adaptation: effect trajectory and developmental implications of transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention in youth

We reviewed the series of articles on the transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention (TranS-C) for adolescents, including Harvey et al.’s randomized controlled trial (RCT) [1], Dong et al.’s 6-month follow-up [2], Dolsen et al.’s 1-year follow-up [3], and Susman et al.’s 8-year follow-up [4].The results indicated that TranS-C had an effect trajectory: "significant short-term improvement–partial maintenance at 6 months–stability of core indicators + text messaging intervention reinforcement at 1 year-effect attenuation at 8 years.” In the short-term post-intervention, multiple indicators in the TranS-C group—including core circadian rhythm parameters (Children’s Morningness-Eveningness Preferences Scale, CMEP), dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and smaller weeknight-weekend discrepancies in total sleep time (TST) and wake-up time—were significantly superior to those in the psychoeducation (PE) group, as was the Parent-Reported Composite Risk Scores for cognitive health [1]. At the 6-month follow-up, CMEP, PSQI, and the weeknight–weekend discrepancy in wake-up time still maintained advantages, while PE showed benefit from post-treatment to 6 months for reducing the parent-reported composite of behavioral health risk [2]. At 1 year, CMEP and weeknight–weekend discrepancy in wake-up time retained their advantages, and text messaging reinforcement enhanced circadian improvement [3]. At 8 years, no significant differences were observed between any indicators of TranS-C and those of PE [4]. …