Childhood Sleep Problems and Young Adult Health Outcomes Open Access

Abstract

Abstract

Childhood Sleep Problems and Young Adult Health Outcomes

By Brooke L. Reidy

Objective: Despite a growing body of literature demonstrating associations between sleep problems and diminished physical health, few studies have explored the prospective effects of childhood sleep problems on adult health. In particular, little is known about the impact of childhood sleep on health relative to established risk factors, such as youth depression and environmental stress. The current study investigated the prospective association between childhood sleep problems and young adult health outcomes, and looked to see whether this relationship held when accounting for known predictors of adult health problems. Methods: The current sample included 710 mother-youth dyads that participated in a study evaluating children's development from birth to age 20. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the potential effects of sleep on young adult health, and then to assess whether such associations remained when measures of youth stress and depression were individually entered into the overall model. Results: In the tested model, childhood sleep was a significant predictor of young adult health (β = .40, p <.001). Childhood sleep continued to predict to young adult health over and above the effects of early adversity, child health at age 5, youth and maternal depression through age 15, and chronic social stress at age 15, when these variables were entered into the model. Youth sleep and nonsocial chronic stress at age 15 independently predicted to young adult health. Conclusions: Results from the present analyses suggest that sleep problems in childhood and adolescence can have negative health consequences in young adulthood. Moreover, sleep problems in childhood and adolescence are still significant predictors of health outcomes when a variety of alternative predictor variables are controlled. Given this, sleep may be an important intervention target for child populations at risk for health conditions later in life.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

I. Introduction………………………………………………………………………..1

II. Methods………………………………...……………………...………………….6

III. Results……………………………………………………………...…………….12

IV. Discussion………………………………………………………..........................13

V. References………………………………………………………………………..18

VI. Appendix………………………………………………………………………....25

List of Tables and Figures

Table 1. Correlation Matrix of Health Variables, Youth Age 20

Table 2. Correlation Matrix of Youth Sleep Variables

Table 3. SEM Model Fit Statistics: Overall Model with Individually Entered Competing Factors

Table 4. Influence of Competing Factors on Young Adult Health in Tested Model

Figure 1. The Effects of Childhood Sleep on Young Adult Health

About this Master's Thesis

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Psychology
Degree	MA
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Developmental
Keyword	Adolescent Stress Longitudinal Child Health Sleep
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Brennan, Patricia, Emory University
Committee Members	Craighead, W Edward, Emory University Hamann, Stephan, Emory University

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