# Implementing Evidence-Based Behavioral Sleep Intervention in Urban Primary Care

> **NIH NIH K23** · CHILDREN'S HOSP OF PHILADELPHIA · 2021 · $131,450

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
This K23 proposal will address a critical need for accessible, evidence-based behavioral sleep interventions for
lower-socioeconomic status (SES) children, and will prepare the applicant, Ariel Williamson, PhD, to become an
independent investigator with expertise in behavioral interventions for lower-SES children in primary care.
Behavioral sleep problems, including insomnia and insufficient sleep, are associated with adverse physical,
neurobehavioral, and social-emotional outcomes. Sleep problems impact 20-30% of young children and
disproportionately impact lower-SES children. There is little research on behavioral sleep interventions with
lower-SES youth, and no studies have examined these interventions in primary care, an accessible setting. This
project will adapt and pilot Sleep Well – Be Well, an effective behavioral sleep intervention, so that its contents
and service delivery methods are appropriate for lower-SES preschoolers and the primary care context. Aim 1
is to identify attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that are critical for adapting and implementing Sleep Well – Be Well
for lower-SES preschoolers in primary care. This aim involves collecting qualitative and quantitative data from
lower-SES caregivers of preschoolers with sleep problems (N = 30) and primary care providers (N = 20
pediatricians, nurses, and integrated behavioral health clinicians [social workers and psychologists]). Aim 2 is to
iteratively adapt as needed and pilot Sleep Well – Be Well. Aim 1 results, pilot testing with lower-SES caregiver-
child dyads (N = 18), and input from an advisory panel of caregivers and primary care providers will guide needed
adaptations and the potential development of new approaches. Aim 3 is to conduct a pilot randomized controlled
trial of the adapted intervention to examine intervention acceptability; feasibility of recruitment, randomization,
and measurement procedures; treatment engagement and adherence; and the magnitude of intervention effects.
Lower-SES preschoolers (N = 80) will be randomly assigned to intervention or to enhanced usual care (sleep
education), with assessments of objective and caregiver-reported child sleep, as well as child behavior, at
pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. The proposed research and the career development plan
will support Dr. Williamson’s training goals to acquire skills and knowledge in: (1) qualitative and mixed methods
for intervention adaptation and development; (2) the conduct of clinical, and especially pragmatic, trials; and (3)
the application of implementation science methods and frameworks to primary care research. The resources of
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania, and an expert team of interdisciplinary
mentors and consultants, will provide an outstanding context to launch Dr. Williamson’s career. This project will
also provide necessary data for Dr. Williamson’s future R01 submission of a large-scale effectivene...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10215575
- **Project number:** 5K23HD094905-04
- **Recipient organization:** CHILDREN'S HOSP OF PHILADELPHIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Ariel A Williamson
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $131,450
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-20 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10215575

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10215575, Implementing Evidence-Based Behavioral Sleep Intervention in Urban Primary Care (5K23HD094905-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10215575. Licensed CC0.

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