Citation

Yang J. Sleep Med. 2024; 115: 114-121.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.sleep.2024.01.026

PMID

38354682

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The deleterious effects of childhood maltreatment, emotion regulation difficulties (ERD), and externalizing problems (EP) on sleep problems has been established. Nevertheless, there is still a need to gain a deeper understanding of the potential direct and indirect mechanisms through which these crucial risk factors influence adolescents' sleep problems, particularly with a developmental perspective. This study thus aimed to examine the direct and indirect associations among developmental trajectories of the focal variables in adolescents.

METHODS: A total of 1648 Chinese adolescents (48.12% boys; M(age) = 13.69 years, SD = 0.82) completed self-report measures on 3 time points across 1 years. Latent growth curve modeling was used to examine the hypothesized models.

RESULTS: Both the developmental trajectory of childhood maltreatment and the developmental trajectory of ERD/EP were positively and directly related to the developmental trajectory of sleep problems; and the developmental trajectory of childhood maltreatment was indirectly related to the developmental trajectory of sleep problems through the mediating effect of the developmental trajectory of ERD/EP.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings elucidated the direct and indirect longitudinal associations among the focal variables, highlighting that interventions should target childhood maltreatment and ERD/EP to decrease sleep problems in adolescents with a developmental perspective.

Language: en

Keywords

Childhood maltreatment; Developmental trajectories; Direct and indirect associations; Emotion regulation difficulties/EP; Sleep problems