Community violence concerns and adolescent sleep
Erika J Bagley1, Kelly M Tu2, Joseph A Buckhalt3
1Psychology Department, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St, Allentown, PA, 18140.
Sleep Health
|October 4, 2016
Summary
Concerns about community violence negatively impact adolescent sleep quality and increase sleepiness, especially in girls. This study highlights the vulnerability of female adolescents to violence-related sleep disturbances.
Area of Science:
- Sleep Science
- Adolescent Health
- Community Psychology
Background:
- Adolescent sleep is crucial for development and well-being.
- Community violence is a significant stressor impacting youth mental and physical health.
- The relationship between community violence exposure and sleep disturbances in adolescents requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between concerns about community violence and objective and subjective sleep parameters in adolescents.
- To investigate whether sex moderates the relationship between community violence concerns and sleep outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Community-based sample of 252 adolescents (53% girls) from the Southeastern United States.
- Assessed community violence concerns, objective sleep (actigraphy), and subjective sleep (School Sleep Habits Survey).
Main Results:
- Concerns about community violence were associated with lower sleep efficiency, more wake after sleep onset, increased sleep problems, and greater daytime sleepiness.
- Adolescent girls were found to be more vulnerable to the negative effects of community violence concerns on their objective sleep quality.
Conclusions:
- Community violence concerns significantly impair adolescent sleep quality, both objectively and subjectively.
- Adolescent girls exhibit heightened vulnerability to the detrimental effects of community violence concerns on sleep.
- Findings underscore the importance of addressing community violence to improve adolescent sleep health.
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