Rachel G Lucas-Thompson1, Natasha S Seiter2, Reagan L Miller2, Brock A Rigsby2, Tori L Crain3. 1. Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Electronic address: lucas-thompson.rachel.graham@colostate.edu. 2. Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Previous research and theory suggest that interparental conflict that is perceived by youth as frequent/intense, threatening, and/or the responsibility of the youth is predictive of adjustment problems. In contrast, sleep, an important precursor to emotion regulation, is likely a protective factor for youth experiencing interparental conflict. The goal of the current study was to investigate the extent to which adolescents who maintain better and/or longer sleep are buffered from the adjustment problems associated with greater interparental conflict. METHODS: One-hundred and fifty adolescents completed questionnaires assessing interparental conflict (frequency/intensity perceptions as well as threat and self-blame appraisals) as well as internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Participants also wore an actigraph over 1 week to objectively measure sleep quantity and quality; 123 participants had valid actigraphy data. RESULTS: Results of structural equation modeling analyses revealed that greater sleep quality weakened the association between interparental conflict and adjustment problems, particularly internalizing behaviors. However, sleep quantity was not a moderator. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that higher quality sleep may protect adolescents from the negative effects of interparental conflict.
OBJECTIVES: Previous research and theory suggest that interparental conflict that is perceived by youth as frequent/intense, threatening, and/or the responsibility of the youth is predictive of adjustment problems. In contrast, sleep, an important precursor to emotion regulation, is likely a protective factor for youth experiencing interparental conflict. The goal of the current study was to investigate the extent to which adolescents who maintain better and/or longer sleep are buffered from the adjustment problems associated with greater interparental conflict. METHODS: One-hundred and fifty adolescents completed questionnaires assessing interparental conflict (frequency/intensity perceptions as well as threat and self-blame appraisals) as well as internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Participants also wore an actigraph over 1 week to objectively measure sleep quantity and quality; 123 participants had valid actigraphy data. RESULTS: Results of structural equation modeling analyses revealed that greater sleep quality weakened the association between interparental conflict and adjustment problems, particularly internalizing behaviors. However, sleep quantity was not a moderator. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that higher quality sleep may protect adolescents from the negative effects of interparental conflict.
Authors: Jessica J Chiang; Joanna J Kim; David M Almeida; Julienne E Bower; Ronald E Dahl; Michael R Irwin; Heather McCreath; Andrew J Fuligni Journal: J Adolesc Health Date: 2017-07-17 Impact factor: 5.012