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. 2020 Dec 30;18(1):236.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18010236.

The Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Sleep Problems among Adolescent Students: Mediation by Depression or Anxiety

E-Jin Park  1 , Shin-Young Kim  2 , Yeeun Kim  2 , Dajung Sung  2 , Bora Kim  2 , Yerin Hyun  2 , Kyu-In Jung  2 , Seung-Yup Lee  2 , Hayeon Kim  2 , Subin Park  3 , Bung-Nyun Kim  4 , Min-Hyeon Park  2
Affiliations

The Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Sleep Problems among Adolescent Students: Mediation by Depression or Anxiety

E-Jin Park et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to be closely related to depression, anxiety and sleep problems. However, it remains unclear whether adolescents with ACEs have sleep problems regardless of depression or anxiety or under a mediating effect from depression or anxiety. Therefore, our aim was to examine whether depression or anxiety mediates the relationship between ACEs and sleep problems in adolescents by using a community sample. The Early Trauma Inventory Self Report-Short Form (ETISR-SF) and List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire (LTE-Q) were used to assess traumatic ACEs. Ultimately, data from 737 students (M = 448, F = 289, 15.1 ± 1.4 years old) were included in the statistical analysis. A total of 576 (78.1%) participants reported that they had experienced one or more ACEs. Adolescents with ACEs had higher levels of depression, anxiety and sleep problems than did adolescents without ACEs, and boys tended to experience more trauma than girls. Depression and anxiety partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and sleep problems. The results of this study suggest the need for depression and anxiety interventions for adolescents with ACEs to reduce the long-term consequences, including sleep problems and physical health problems.

Keywords: insomnia; interventions; mental health; physical health; threatening experiences; trauma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Depressive or anxiety symptoms as mediators between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and sleep problems.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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