What Does the Future Hold for Psychological Treatments in Youth? Long-Term Perspectives on Sleep and Circadian Interventions

Forrest Tin Wai Cheung, Shirley Xin Li

Abstract

Youth represents a vulnerable developmental period associated with significant sleep and circadian changes. One notable change is increased eveningness, which refers to a tendency for later sleep and daily activities. Eveningness has been associated with various adverse outcomes in youth, including compromised sleep, mental health, and physical well-being. As such, it is imperative to develop effective interventions to address these issues. While some evidence suggests short-term benefits of interventions targeting circadian problems, the extent of our knowledge regarding the long-term impact on youth remains uncertain. In this issue of the Journal, Susman et al.4 shed light on this crucial question through their study that examined the effects of the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention for Youth (TranS-C) - a modular cognitive-behavioral intervention that specifically targets sleep and circadian issues.

Recommended citation: Cheung, F. T. W., & Li, S. X. (2025). Editorial: What Does the Future Hold for Psychological Treatments in Youth? Long-Term Perspectives on Sleep and Circadian Interventions. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 64(3), 321–322.
Download Paper