THE CORRELATION BETWEEN STRESS, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND SLEEP DISTURBANCES AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ANHUI...

Sleep disturbances have become common health issues among adolescents. The study aims to explore (1) sleep problems and (2) the association of stress and academic performance with sleep disturbances among Chinese senior high school students.

A total of 2,527 senior high school students participated in the study. The respondents' stress level, sleep quality, and sleep chronotypes were assessed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Morning and Evening Questionnaire-5, respectively. Academic performance was evaluated through self-report. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the associations between stress, academic performance, and sleep disturbance.

The prevalence of sleep disturbances among senior high school students was 29.1%. After adjustments, students experiencing light/moderate stress showed significantly higher odds of sleep disturbance (OR=1.647, 95% CI: 1.040-2.611, P=0.034) compared to no stress, while those with severe/very severe stress exhibited even greater risk (OR=4.494, 95% CI: 2.143-9.425, P<0.001). Regarding academic performance, both general (OR=0.493, 95% CI: 0.375-0.649, P<0.001) and good performers (OR=0.643, 95% CI: 0.490-0.844, P=0.001) showed significantly lower odds of sleep disturbance compared to poor performers. Significant interaction effects were observed among students with light/moderate stress combined with general (OR=2.311, 95% CI: 1.265-4.220, P=0.006) or good academic performance (OR=2.668, 95% CI: 1.445-4.926, P=0.002). Stratification by academic performance showed stress levels consistently linked to sleep disturbance (P<0.05). However, sleep disturbance was significantly associated with academic performance only in students without stress (P<0.05).

Sleep disturbance and stress were prevalent among Chinese senior high school students. Both stress and academic performance were associated with sleep disturbance. Moreover, significant interaction effects were observed among students with light/moderate stress combined with general or good academic performance. These findings suggest a need for personalized interventions.