Sleep disturbances and depression are bidirectionally associated among college student athletes across COVID-19 pandemic exposure classes

Abstract

College athletes may be vulnerable to sleep disturbances and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of large shifts in social and athletic obligations. In a national sample of college athletes, we examined the associations between sleep disturbances and depression across two timepoints, using COVID-19 exposure as a moderator. Data were collected from 2098 NCAA Division I, II, and III college athletes during two timepoints, from April 10 to May 23, and from August 4 to September 15, 2020. First, a latent class analysis was conducted with five indicators of levels of COVID-19 exposure to determine different exposure profiles. Second, to examine the directionality of associations between sleep disturbance and depression, a cross-lagged panel model was added to the latent class membership structural equation model; this allowed for testing of moderation by COVID exposure class membership. Four highly homogeneous, well-separated classes of COVID-19 exposure were enumerated: Low Exposure (57%); Quarantine Only (21%); High Other, Low Self Exposure (14%); and High Exposure (8%). COVID-19 exposure class membership did not significantly moderate associations between sleep disturbances and depression. However, student athletes significantly differed in T2 depression by their COVID-19 exposure class membership. Depression and sleep disturbances were positively correlated at both timepoints (r _T1 = 0.39; r _T2 = 0.30). Additionally, cross-lagged associations were found such that T2 depression was associated with T1 sleep disturbances (β = 0.14) and vice versa (β = 0.11). These cross-lagged associations were not significantly affected by athletes' level of COVID-19 exposure during the beginning of the pandemic.

Keywords: College student athletes; Depression; Latent class analysis; NCAA division; Sleep disturbance.

Figure 1

Item Probability Profiles for COVID Exposure for Subsample 1, 2, and the full sample Note. Class 1 (High COVID Exposure); Class 2 (Low Self-, High Other-Exposure); Class 3 (Quarantined Only); Class 4 (Low Exposure).

Figure 2

Structural Equation Model Results including the Mean Differences in T2 Depression by COVID Exposure Class Membership Note. Dotted paths were kept in the model regardless of significance to control for covariate effects. The solid lines represent significant relationships in the model. The differential prediction of class membership and depression means by membership are shown; however, the significant pairwise comparisons are presented in the manuscript text.