Peer Victimization and Adolescent Adjustment: The Moderating Role of Sleep

Abstract

The present study examined multiple indices of sleep as moderators of the association between peer victimization and adjustment among typically developing adolescents. Participants included 252 adolescents (M = 15.79 years; 66% European American, 34% African American) and their parents. A multi-method, multi-informant design was employed to address the research questions. Sleep was assessed objectively with actigraphy (sleep minutes and sleep efficiency) and subjectively with self-reports. Adolescents reported on peer victimization and internalizing symptoms. Externalizing behaviors were examined with mother and father reports. Subjective sleep/wake problems moderated the associations between peer victimization and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. A stronger relation emerged between peer victimization and internalizing symptoms among adolescents who reported higher versus lower levels of sleep/wake problems. Adolescents with elevated sleep/wake problems had higher levels of externalizing symptoms across the range of peer victimization. However, for those with fewer sleep/wake problems, a positive relation between peer victimization and externalizing symptoms was observed. Actigraphy-based sleep minutes and sleep efficiency also moderated the relations between peer victimization and internalizing symptoms. Although peer victimization was associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms for all youth, those who reported the lowest levels of such symptoms had longer and more efficient sleep in conjunction with low levels of peer victimization. Findings are novel and highlight the importance of considering both bioregulatory processes and peer relations in the prediction of adolescents’ adjustment.

Daily family stress and HPA axis functioning during adolescence: The moderating role of sleep

“…The majority of past studies on the role of sleep on stress sensitivity among youth have focused on psychosocial outcomes (El-Sheikh et al, 2014; El-Sheikh et al, 2016; Lemola et al, 2012; Tu et al, 2015). Studies focusing on the HPA-axis have primarily relied on experimental inducement of acute stress and sleep loss (Goodin et al, 2012; Raikkonen et al, 2010), which may not reflect naturalistic experiences.…”

“…For instance, peer victimization was more strongly related to internalizing symptoms among adolescents with more perceived sleep problems compared to those with fewer perceived sleep problems (Tu et al, 2015). Similarly, perceived discrimination was related to more depressive symptoms and externalizing behaviors among adolescents with shorter sleep duration and poorer perceived sleep quality (El-Sheikh et al, 2016; Yip, 2015).…”

Perceived discrimination and youths' adjustment: sleep as a moderator

“…Findings from other studies have revealed a dual‐protection or protective–reactive pattern of effects (Luthar et al ., ), in which a protective attribute (better sleep) is beneficial in low‐ but not high‐risk contexts. Supportive of this pattern, children and adolescents with the highest level of adaptation were those with longer and better quality sleep in conjunction with low familial (Bernier et al ., ; Bordeleau et al ., ; El‐Sheikh et al ., ), peer (Tu et al ., ) or sociocultural risks (Yip, ).…”

“…Several studies have yielded a moderation pattern of effects that is consistent with cumulative or dual risk perspectives (Evans, 2003;Sameroff, 1983), which propose that individuals may have a vulnerability that increases risk, or a protective factor that reduces risk, in the context of an environmental stressor. For instance, short or poor-quality sleep increased vulnerability for adjustment problems, whereas better sleep quality functioned as a protective factor in the context of family and peer stress (Lemola et al, 2012;Tu et al, 2015).…”

Parenting and toddler self‐regulation in low‐income families: What does sleep have to do with it?

“…Further, this study is focused on children from low‐income families, who are at relatively high risk for both self‐regulation and sleep difficulties. As suggested by prior work (Chiang et al., ; Schumacher et al., ; Tu, Erath, & El‐Sheikh, ) which is informed by the differential susceptibility model (Ellis et al., ), we hypothesize that toddler sleep will moderate the association between parenting and toddler self‐regulation such that toddlers who obtain less nighttime sleep and are exposed to negative parenting will have poorer self‐regulation skills than will those who obtain more sleep. We also examined effects of positive parenting and demographic covariates in an exploratory manner.…”