Live Webinar ~ 12:00 - 1:00 PM EST

Ariel A. Williamson, PhD, DBSM
Assistant Professor
Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health
Department of Psychology
University of Oregon

Speaker Bio
Dr. Ariel Williamson is Assistant Professor at the Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health and in the Department of Psychology (clinical area) at the University of Oregon. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with a Diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (DBSM) and expertise in pediatric sleep health disparities and behavioral interventions. Dr. Williamson’s research applies socio-ecological theory to understand how multiple factors contribute to child sleep problems, disparities, and developmental outcomes. Her intervention research uses implementation science principles and community-engaged methods to promote pediatric sleep health and treat sleep problems in primary care and in partnership with community organizations.

Session Overview

Behavioral sleep problems, including insomnia symptoms (e.g., difficulty falling/staying asleep) and poor sleep health (e.g., insufficient sleep), impact up to 30% of toddlers and preschoolers and are associated with adverse developmental outcomes. Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic sleep health disparities, due to differential exposure to adverse social and environmental factors, also begin in early childhood. Despite a robust evidence base for treating early childhood behavioral sleep problems, most interventions have been tested with non-Hispanic/Latinx White and/or more socioeconomically advantaged families. In addition, few behavioral sleep interventions have been tested outside of research settings and in accessible contexts, such as pediatric primary care. These clinical research gaps raise questions about whether adaptations are needed to intervention content and delivery strategies to enhance the acceptability, cultural humility, and efficacy of behavioral sleep interventions in primary care.