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Pediatric Sleep ProblemsSTORYBOOK-RCTNCT07668609

Storybook App vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Child Sleep and Attachment

A study testing CBT-Based Psychoeducational Intervention and Storybook Mobile Application Intervention in people with Pediatric Sleep Problems and Sleep Hygiene, run by Universidad Católica de Cuenca at 1 site in Ecuador.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This completed randomized controlled trial compared two caregiver-delivered interventions for sleep in young children: a multimodal mobile health intervention delivered through the Storybook mobile application and a face-to-face psychoeducational intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 12 to 84 monthsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
CBT-Based Psychoeducational Intervention and Storybook Mobile Application Intervention
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
60 participants
Where
1 siteEcuador
Study dates
12 Mar 2024to 20 Jun 2024
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 12 to 84 months
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Children aged 12 to 84 months.
  • Residence in urban or rural areas of Cuenca, Azuay Province, Ecuador.
  • Written informed consent provided by the child's legal guardian.
  • Availability of the legal guardian to participate in the assigned intervention and complete baseline and postintervention assessments.
  • Availability to complete the study procedures during the 1-month intervention period.

Who cannot join

  • Children with a previous diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental disorder.
  • Children with a chronic medical condition that, according to caregiver report or available clinical information, could affect sleep.
  • Children with a clinical history of severe sleep disturbances requiring specialized medical or psychological treatment.
  • Children or caregivers who were unable to complete the baseline or postintervention assessments.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Ecuador1 site
  • Universidad Católica de Cuenca

    Cuenca, Azuay, 010101

Other trials in Ecuador

About this study

Official title: Comparative Effects of a Multimodal mHealth Intervention Versus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Pediatric Sleep and Parent-Child Attachment: Randomized Controlled Trial

This completed randomized controlled trial compared two caregiver-delivered interventions for sleep in young children: a multimodal mobile health intervention delivered through the Storybook mobile application and a face-to-face psychoeducational intervention based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles. The study was conducted in Azuay Province, Ecuador.

Children aged 12 to 84 months were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the Storybook group, caregivers used the mobile application at home for 40 minutes per day for 1 month. The application guided caregivers through calming bedtime activities, including guided massage, audio stories, and music. In the comparison group, caregivers received eight 40-minute face-to-face psychoeducational sessions over the same 1-month period. These sessions focused on sleep hygiene and behavioral strategies, including consistent bedtime routines, positive reinforcement, and management of disruptive pre-sleep behaviors.

The study assessed whether the Storybook application and the cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducational intervention were associated with changes in child sleep quantity, sleep quality, and parent-child attachment. Sleep and attachment were assessed before and after the intervention using standardized questionnaires and an attachment assessment.

Read the detailed description

Sleep regulation and the parent-child relationship are important components of early childhood development. Pediatric sleep problems may affect child behavior, family routines, and caregiver well-being. However, access to specialized face-to-face psychological care may be limited in some settings. Mobile health interventions may offer an accessible way to support caregivers at home, but they require evaluation against evidence-based approaches.

This study was a completed, two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial with baseline and postintervention assessments. The trial evaluated a caregiver-mediated mobile health intervention delivered through the Storybook mobile application compared with a cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducational intervention. The study was conducted in Azuay Province, Ecuador.

Participants were children aged 12 to 84 months whose legal guardians provided written informed consent. Seventy-one children were assessed at baseline. Of these, 60 children were randomized and assigned to one of two intervention groups: 31 to the Storybook mobile application group and 29 to the CBT-based psychoeducation group. All randomized participants completed the intervention and postintervention assessment procedures and were included in the final analytic sample.

The Storybook intervention consisted of caregiver-led use of the mobile application at home for 40 minutes per day over 1 month. Caregivers received instructions on how to use the application with the child. The application included guided massage, auditory narration, and music, with the aim of supporting a calm bedtime routine and caregiver-child interaction.

The active comparator consisted of eight face-to-face psychoeducational sessions based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles. Each session lasted approximately 40 minutes, and sessions were delivered twice weekly over 1 month. The sessions were directed to legal guardians and focused on behavioral strategies for child sleep, including sleep hygiene, consistent bedtime routines, positive reinforcement, and management of disruptive pre-sleep behaviors.

The main areas of assessment were child sleep quantity, child sleep quality, and parent-child attachment. Assessments were conducted at baseline and after completion of the 1-month intervention period. Sleep outcomes were assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire and the BEARS Sleep Screening Tool. Parent-child attachment was assessed using the Attachment Q-Set. Statistical analyses compared baseline and postintervention values within each group and postintervention outcomes between groups, using parametric or nonparametric procedures according to the distribution and measurement level of each variable.

Being tested
CBT-Based Psychoeducational Intervention, Storybook Mobile Application Intervention
Keywords
pediatric sleep, child sleep, sleep quality, sleep quantity, sleep hygiene, sleep onset latency, night wakings, nocturnal awakenings, bedtime problems, parent-child attachment, parent-child relationship, early childhood, mobile health, mHealth, mobile application, Storybook application, cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, psychoeducation, caregiver-mediated intervention
Medical subject headings
Sleep Hygiene, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • CBT-Based Psychoeducational InterventionBehavioural

    Also called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Psychoeducation, CBT Sleep Psychoeducation

    Caregivers received eight 40-minute face-to-face psychoeducational sessions over 1 month. Sessions were delivered twice weekly and were based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles. The intervention focused on behavioral strategies for child sleep, including sleep hygiene, consistent bedtime routines, positive reinforcement, and management of disruptive pre-sleep behaviors.

  • Storybook Mobile Application InterventionBehavioural

    Also called Storybook App, Storybook mHealth Intervention, Multimodal mHealth Sleep Intervention

    Caregivers used the Storybook mobile application at home with the child for 40 minutes per day over 1 month. The intervention included caregiver-led reading, guided massage, and affection-based activities delivered through the application to support bedtime routines, child sleep initiation, and caregiver-child interaction.

Study groups in NCT07668609
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
CBT-Based PsychoeducationActive comparatorChild-caregiver dyads randomized to the active comparator group. Caregivers received eight 40-minute face-to-face psychoeducational sessions over 1 month. Sessions were based on cognitive behavioral therapy principles and focused on child sleep hygiene, consistent bedtime routines, positive reinforcement, and management of disruptive pre-sleep behaviors.
Receives: Behavioral: CBT-Based Psychoeducational Intervention
Storybook Mobile ApplicationExperimentalChild-caregiver dyads randomized to the experimental mobile health intervention group. Caregivers used the Storybook mobile application at home with the child for 40 minutes per day over 1 month. The application included reading, massage, and affection-based activities intended to support bedtime routines, child sleep initiation, and caregiver-child interaction.
Receives: Behavioral: Storybook Mobile Application Intervention

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Change From Baseline in Nocturnal Sleep Duration

    Nocturnal sleep duration was assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. The outcome was measured in minutes and calculated as the difference between the baseline assessment and the postintervention assessment. Higher values indicate longer nocturnal sleep duration.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

  2. Change From Baseline in Sleep Onset Latency

    Sleep onset latency was assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. The outcome was measured in minutes and calculated as the difference between the baseline assessment and the postintervention assessment. Higher values indicate a longer time required for the child to fall asleep.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

  3. Change From Baseline in Number of Night Wakings

    The number of night wakings was assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. The outcome was measured as the caregiver-reported number of nocturnal awakenings and calculated as the difference between the baseline assessment and the postintervention assessment. Higher values indicate more frequent night wakings.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

  4. Change From Baseline in Parent-Child Attachment Score

    Parent-child attachment was assessed using the Attachment Q-Set, Spanish culturally adapted version, as a study-specific raw summed attachment security score; total scores range from 0 to 450, with higher scores indicating greater parent-child attachment security according to the scoring procedure used in this study, and the outcome was calculated as the post-intervention raw total score minus the baseline raw total score, with higher positive change values indicating a more favorable outcome.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Change From Baseline in Daytime Sleep Duration

    Daytime sleep duration was assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. The outcome was measured in minutes and calculated as the difference between the baseline assessment and the postintervention assessment. Higher values indicate longer daytime sleep duration.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

  2. Change From Baseline in Nocturnal Wakefulness

    Nocturnal wakefulness was assessed using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. The outcome was measured in minutes and calculated as the difference between the baseline assessment and the postintervention assessment. Higher values indicate longer wakefulness during the night.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

  3. Change From Baseline in BEARS Sleep Screening Domains

    Sleep quality indicators were assessed using the BEARS Sleep Screening Tool. The assessed domains were bedtime problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, awakenings during the night, regularity and duration of sleep, and snoring. Each domain was recorded as present or absent at baseline and after the intervention.

    Measured: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted25 Jun 2026
  2. Study start12 Mar 2024
  3. Primary completion20 Jun 2024
  4. Study completion20 Jun 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial. Participants were assigned to either a cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducational intervention or a multimodal mHealth intervention delivered through the Storybook mobile application. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after the 1-month intervention period.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
60 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07668609
Sponsor's protocol ID
12-EO-CEISH-HLV-2023
Other IDs
PICODS21-04, 12-EOCEISH-HLV-2023
Acronym
STORYBOOK-RCT
Status last verified
Jul 2026
First submitted
19 Jun 2026
Last updated
6 Jul 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: De-identified individual participant data underlying the reported study results may be shared. The shared dataset may include study group assignment, baseline sociodemographic variables, and de-identified outcome data from the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire, the BEARS Sleep Screening Tool, and the Attachment Q-Set. No names, identification numbers, contact information, signed consent forms, or other directly identifiable participant information will be shared.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing CBT-Based Psychoeducational Intervention and Storybook Mobile Application Intervention in people with Pediatric Sleep Problems and Sleep Hygiene, run by Universidad Católica de Cuenca at 1 site in Ecuador.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Ecuador. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Change From Baseline in Nocturnal Sleep Duration (time frame: Baseline and immediately after the 1-month intervention period). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Jul 2026.

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