Michal Kahn

• PhD
• Senior Lecturer at Tel Aviv University

Alcohol is a significant contributor to the world's burden of disease. The COVID-19 pandemic saw many governments impose lockdowns yet list liquor stores as an essential service. Data from 2020 already show a rise in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related deaths. The present study evaluated an online 30-day program aimed at reducing alcohol consum...

Introduction Daylight Saving Time (DST) transitions can disrupt infant sleep routines, and lead to temporary sleep disturbances, potentially contributing to heightened stress levels for parents. This study examines the associations between DST-related stress, parental anxiety, and parental and infant sleep. Methods 602 parents of infants aged 0-24...

The link between technology and sleep is more complex than originally thought. In this updated theoretical review, we propose a new model informed by the growing body of evidence in the area over the past 10 years. The main theoretical change is the addition of bi-directional links between the use of technology and sleep problems. We begin by revie...

The overall aim of the present study was to examine the daily patterns and relationships between sleep behavior, anxiety, mood (i.e., depression symptoms) and cognitive performance (i.e., reaction time) in esports athletes competing in an Oceanic Rocket League Championship Series regional event. Sixteen participants completed a daily sleep diary, e...

Infant sleep problems have been associated with a myriad of adverse child and parent outcomes, yet whether these problems may pose a risk for parents on the road has received little research attention. This study sought to test whether mothers of infants with insomnia are at an elevated risk for vehicular crashes, by comparing their objectively mea...

Introduction: Although a time shift of one hour might seem innocuous, it often takes more than one week for children to adapt to Daylight Saving Time (DST) changes. This could be “double trouble” for parents, as their own bodies try to adjust while caring for their children who struggle to sleep. Despite the fact that in the past couple of years th...

The physiological processes governing sleep regulation show maturational changes during adolescent development. To date, data are available to specify when delays in circadian timing occur; however, no longitudinal data exist to characterize the maturation of the accumulation of sleep pressure across the evening. The aim of this longitudinal study...

Study objectives: Infant sleep problems are one of the most common complaints of new parents. Research to date has demonstrated a relationship between low parental cry tolerance and infant sleep problems. The aim of this study was to explore whether three emotion regulation strategies could increase parental cry tolerance. Methods: This study ut...

Background Previous studies have suggested that parental cognitions about child's sleep may be an important factor underlying pediatric sleep problems. The current study aimed to (a) develop an assessment tool measuring parental understanding and misperceptions about baby's sleep (PUMBA‐Q); (b) validate the questionnaire using self‐report and objec...

The present study investigated the influence and perspective of esports coaches and support staff on the sleep habits of esports athletes competing at professional and semiprofessional levels. Eighty-four esports coaches and support staff from 19 countries completed an online questionnaire. The first section obtained demographic information. The se...

Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder in youth, tends to persist over time, and is associated with a myriad of adverse outcomes. This paper synthesizes the current evidence regarding the phenomenology, prevalence, assessment, consequences, etiology, and treatment of pediatric insomnia, highlighting areas that warrant further research, and a...

Study Objectives The aim of this study was to; 1) explore whether adolescents use technology as distraction from negative thoughts before sleep, 2) assess whether adolescents who perceive having a sleep problem use technology as distraction more compared to adolescents without sleep complaints, 3) collect qualitative information about which devices...

Objectives To compare the real-world frequency, timing, duration, difficulty, and helpfulness of three infant Behavioral Sleep Intervention (BSI) approaches: Unmodified Extinction, Modified Extinction, and Parental Presence, and to examine the effectiveness and safety of these approaches by comparing infant sleep, parent sleep, daytime sleepiness,...

This study investigated the associations between adolescent evening use of technology devices and apps, night time sleep, and daytime sleepiness. Participants were 711 adolescents aged 12–18 years old (46% Female, Mage = 15.1, SD = 1.2). Time spent using technology devices and apps in the hour before bed, and in bed before sleep onset, was self-rep...

Fatigue-related motor vehicle crashes are common worldwide and have been addressed by a range of road safety campaigns. These campaigns are typically directed towards at-risk groups (e.g., heavy vehicle drivers), who may be likely to experience fatigue resulting from reduced or disrupted sleep opportunities. Another population likely to experience...

The postpartum period may pose a considerable challenge for both parent sleep and sexual activity. This study assessed the links between partnered sexual frequency and satisfaction postpartum and parent sleep, infant sleep, parent nighttime caregiving, and parent-infant room sharing. Participants were 897 parents of infants aged 1-18-months (M = 8....

Study objectives The day-to-next day predictions between physical activity (PA) and sleep are not well known, although they are crucial for advancing public health by delivering valid sleep and physical activity recommendations. We used Big Data to examine cross-lagged time-series of sleep and PA over 14 days and nights. Methods Bi-directional cro...

Two adolescent mental health fields — sleep and depression — have advanced largely in parallel until about four years ago. Although sleep problems have been thought to be a symptom of adolescent depression, emerging evidence suggests that sleep difficulties arise before depression does. In this Review, we describe how the combination of adolescent...

There is limited evidence surrounding the relationship between parent-set technology rules and adolescent sleep. This study had two aims: 1) to investigate the relationship between presence of and compliance to parent-set technology rules and adolescent sleep outcomes and daytime sleepiness; 2) to investigate if compliance, non-compliance, or the a...

This study evaluated a brief sleep intervention designed to improve the sleep, mood, and cognitive performance of professional electronic sports (esports) athletes from three major esports regions (i.e., Asia, North America, and Oceania). Fifty-six esports athletes from South Korea (N = 34), the United States (N = 7), and Australia (N = 15) complet...

Study Objectives Recurrent nightmares in childhood may have a range of detrimental effects for both the child and parents. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the efficacy of a novel parent-based intervention for childhood nightmares, using a new device called the “Dream Changer.” Methods A total of 56 children aged 3–10 years (M = 7.1 ± 2....

Professional and colloquial sleep hygiene guidelines advise against evening physical activity, despite meta-analyses of laboratory studies concluding that evening exercise does not impair sleep. This study is the first to investigate the association between objectively measured evening physical activity and sleep within a real-world big-data sample...

Inadequate sleep and excessive exposure to media screens have both been linked to poorer mental health in youth. However, the ways in which these interact to predict behaviour problems have yet to be examined using objective sleep measurement. The lack of objective evidence for these relationships in young children has recently been defined by the...

Background With the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, pediatric experts called attention to the potential adverse effects of living restrictions (e.g., lockdown) on child well‐being, but at the same time– acknowledged their possible benefits. To date, only few data‐driven reports have been published on child sleep during COVID‐19, and all have bee...

Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted families, yet studies on its effects on infants and their parents have thus far been sparse and based mostly on retrospective parent reporting. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the impact of COVID-19 living conditions on infant and parent sleep, as well as infant screen exposure, par...

Behavioural sleep interventions (e.g., extinction-based methods) are among the most efficacious evidence-based techniques in the treatment of infant sleep problems. However, behavioural sleep interventions can be challenging for families to successfully implement. This review aims to summarise current research surrounding the potential barriers tha...

Objectives This study longitudinally compared the sleep of infants in the United States whose mothers were in home confinement to those whose mothers were working as usual throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Mothers of 572 infants (46% girls) aged 1-12 months (M = 5.9, standard deviation = 2.9) participated. Assessments were conducted on 4 o...

Study Objectives Evidence for the association between screen time and insufficient sleep is bourgeoning, and recent findings suggest that these associations may be more pronounced in younger compared to older children, and for portable compared to non-portable devices. However, these effects have yet to be investigated within the beginning of life....

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive value of early changes in depression levels during inpatient treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). Methods: Fifty-six adolescents (88% girls) aged 10-18 years (M = 15.35, SD = 2.23) diagnosed with AN were assessed at admission and 1 month following admission to an inpatien...

Study objectives: This study tested whether parental cry tolerance (PCT) and distress-attribution cognitions predict outcomes of behavioral interventions for infant sleep problems. It additionally examined intervention effects on these parental factors. Methods: Participants were 91 infants aged 9-18 months (61% boys) with sleep related problems...

Study Objectives Behavioral interventions for pediatric insomnia are cost-effective and benefit most families, but there is no evidence indicating which treatments are most suitable for specific patient populations. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the moderating role of infant separation anxiety in two brief interventions for infant slee...

This multiple-baseline open pilot trial examined feasibility, compliance, acceptability, and preliminary indices of efficacy of Gaze-Contingent Music Reward Therapy (GC-MRT) for anxious 7- to 10-year-old children. GC-MRT is a novel therapy for anxiety disorders that relies on eye-tracking technology and operant conditioning principles to divert att...

Background: Low parental tolerance for crying has been associated with infant sleep problems, yet the directionality of this link remained unclear. This longitudinal study aimed to assess the synchronous and prospective bidirectional links between parental cry-tolerance, soothing, and infant sleep from pregnancy through six months postpartum. Met...

Abstract Objective To compare the efficacy of a developmentally appropriate cognitive–behavioral therapy protocol for preschoolers with severe nighttime fears and sleep-related problems, with an active control treatment. Methods Ninety children aged four to six years (63% boys) with severe nighttime fears and their parents were randomized to eithe...

Parenting behaviours play a major role in the evolution of infant sleep. Sleep problems in infancy have been associated with excessive parental involvement at night-time, and with shorter delays in response to infant night wakings and signalling. Infant crying and sleep problems are linked, yet little is known about the impact of parental responses...

Purpose of review: Extensive scientific efforts have been made in an attempt to identify early markers of behavioral and emotional problems. In this context, sleep has received considerable research attention, as it appears to be closely linked to developmental psychopathology. The present review synthesizes some of the most recent findings regard...

A growing body of literature suggests that sleep and emotions are closely linked, and that the relationship between these two domains is complex and bidirectional. This review synthesizes some of the most current empirical findings with regard to the effects of sleep (with an emphasis on sleep deprivation) on subsequent emotional state, and the eff...

Nighttime fears are very common in preschool years. During these years, children's fantasy-reality differentiation undergoes significant development. Our study was aimed at exploring the links between nighttime fears and fantasy-reality differentiation in preschool children. Eighty children (aged: 4-6 years) suffering from severe nighttime fears we...