Sleep quality and mindfulness: mediating the relationship between neuroticism and subjective well-being in early...

Good sleep quality, appropriate sleep timing, and mindfulness support emotional and mental health well-being. However, few studies have examined their role in the association between neuroticism and subjective well-being (SWB) among adolescents. This study investigated their potential moderating and mediating effects on the neuroticism-SWB relationship in early adolescents.

We enrolled 1110 adolescents in the China Jintan Child Cohort-Wave II study, with 543 providing complete data on sleep, neuroticism, and SWB (2011-2013, 12.98 ± 0.88 years old, 49% females) and 188 providing trait mindfulness data (2013-2014). The sleep variables included sleep quality (Pittsburgh sleep quality index) and chronotype (mid-sleep time on weekends corrected for sleep debt). SWB was measured via the Oxford happiness questionnaire, neuroticism was measured via the Big Five Inventory, and mindfulness was measured via the five facet mindfulness questionnaire. Linear regression was used to estimate the moderating effect, and generalized structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating effects.

Neuroticism (b = -5.07, P < 0.001) significantly predicted lower SWB, which was mediated by poor sleep quality (β = -3.76, P = 0.002) and trait mindfulness (β = -2.13, P = 0.002). No moderating effects were found for sleep quality or mindfulness (P > 0.05). Chronotype was not a moderator or a mediator between neuroticism and SWB, although a moderate (vs. late) chronotype was independently associated with better SWB (b = 5.91, P = 0.04).

Poor sleep and mindfulness mediate, but do not moderate, the relationship between neuroticism and SWB. While the late chronotype predicts poorer SWB, it does not contribute to the neuroticism-SWB relationship. The findings underscore the importance of healthy sleep and mindfulness-based strategies to support well-being in early adolescents high in neuroticism.