School Climate and Sleep Duration Among Adolescents at the Intersection of Multiple Social Positions

Recent studies have indicated that sleep is fundamental for adolescents' physical and mental health. Although it is known that context influences sleep, the impact of school climate on sleep duration remains understudied.

Using a large, diverse, population-based sample of adolescents attending California high schools (N = 277,954; data collection: 2018-2019) and applying two statistical methods suggested for quantitative research using an intersectionality approach (linear regressions with interaction terms and Exhaustive Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection [ECHAID]), this study examined associations between school climate and sleep duration among adolescents at the intersection of multiple social positions.

Similar proportions of participants were assigned male and female at birth. The sample was racially and ethnically diverse (54.1% Latina/x/o). The large majority of participants were straight (85.4%) and cisgender (97.7%). On average, participants slept 6.75 h/night. Positive school climate was associated with longer and adequate sleep duration; however, this association varied across social positions, such that the effects of school climate on sleep duration were attenuated among adolescents who held some minoritized social positions. ECHAID results indicated that those reporting the lowest averages of sleep duration not only perceived school climate as negative but also held multiple minoritized identities. In contrast, those who perceive their school climate as positive are overrepresented among those who reported the highest averages of sleep duration.

Findings underscore the impact that schools have on adolescents' sleep health. Our study indicates that adolescents with multiple minoritized social positions face additional challenges impacting their sleep. Future interventions should focus on strategies to improve school climates, given that they would benefit a large number of students.