Watan-Understanding the changes that occur during childhood and adolescence is a fundamental goal of developmental psychology, and it holds significant importance for parents, healthcare providers, educators, and researchers. It is also crucial to understand the circumstances, experiences, and behaviors during childhood and adolescence that are linked to better or worse outcomes in later stages of life, according to Psychology Today.
Longitudinal studies are one of the key research strategies for understanding how changes over time are related to important outcomes.
Monitoring and measuring individuals’ behaviors at different points in time can yield valuable information about how positive outcomes (such as good physical and mental health, academic and career achievement, and social adaptation) and negative outcomes (such as poor physical and mental health, weak achievement, professional issues, and antisocial behavior) relate to earlier experiences.
Sleep Patterns and Mental Health: A Longitudinal Study by Dr. Joseph A. Bacalt
In a study described by Dr. Joseph A. Bacalt, an esteemed professor emeritus at Auburn University and a researcher in sleep, health, and growth in children and adolescents, children and their parents visited the lab five different times, starting at the age of nine.
The researchers wanted to study how their sleep patterns changed over the years until they reached the age of eighteen. It was particularly interesting how these changes were associated with their mental health.
Dr. Bacalt explained, “While most child sleep studies rely on parent and child reports via questionnaires, in our studies, we use a wrist activity monitor that provides objective data for seven consecutive nights, along with a daily sleep log.”
He added, “At the end of these assessments, families visit our lab for additional examinations. To monitor the complexities of sleep, we measure its duration, quality, and fluctuations from night to night. To assess mental health, parents complete a 280-item personality test for their children, which yields scores for external behaviors (aggression, defiance, impulsivity, rule-breaking, hyperactivity) and internal behaviors (anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, physical complaints).”
How Sleep Patterns Affect Adolescent Mental Health: Key Findings from a Longitudinal Study
The scientists found that sleep duration decreased with age by about six minutes per year, nearly an hour between the ages of 9 and 18. Eighteen-year-olds were getting around 6.5 hours of sleep each night, far less than what is recommended for optimal physical and mental health. While sleep quality generally improved for the group, significant individual differences were observed.
Sleep variability increased with age, with fluctuations from night to night averaging around 18 minutes by the age of 18. Dr. Bacalt noted, “Research from our lab and others has shown that less variability, with a similar amount of sleep each night, is linked to better outcomes. Regarding mental health, better sleep at age 9 (longer, better quality, and less variability) was associated with fewer negative behaviors and better mental health at age 18.”
The key takeaway: A child’s sleep patterns can predict their mental health years later. Naturally, many factors, in addition to sleep, affect the mental health of young people, but interventions to improve children’s sleep may help alleviate mental health issues many years down the road.
-
-
-
-
-
-
