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

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.

Socioeconomic Status Moderates the Impact of Emotional but not Physical Childhood Abuse on Women’s Sleep

“…A large body of evidence has shown that frequent child abuse can result in significant changes in a child's developing brain (De Bellis & Zisk, 2014;Danese & McEwen, 2012;Norman et al, 2012). These changes alter hyperarousal in the face of stress (fight or flight) and can result in entrenched beliefs that survival is in jeopardy, a sense of hopelessness and helplessness, and other adverse mental health states that impact sleep both in childhood and later adulthood (De Bellis & Zisk, 2014;Danese & McEwen, 2012;Norman et al, 2012;Spilbury, 2009;Siltala et al, 2019;Hamilton et al, 2018;Brindle et al, 2018;Park et al, 2020). The impact of childhood trauma on the developing brain and the sequalae resulting from these changes (e.g.…”

Validation and Adaptation of the Slovak Version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)

“…The effects on mental health are significant, too. Several studies have demonstrated the associations between childhood trauma experiences and the odds of mental illness, risky sexual behavior, and substance abuse [1], or the possibility of anxiety disorders [10][11][12], depression in adulthood [11][12][13][14], sleep problems [11], or premenstrual syndrome [15]. Such significant and prolonged stress in childhood can result in impaired health and overall worse well-being [7].…”

Associations of adverse childhood experiences with stress physiology and insulin resistance in adolescents at risk for adult obesity

“…Consequences of such maladaptive feedback mechanisms in response to ACEs include elevated levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol, and chronic inflammation, determined by pro‐inflammatory cytokines, which can adversely affect cardiovascular health during adolescence and adulthood (Gooding et al., 2016). Stress‐related physiological dysregulation in response to ACEs likely interacts with stress‐related behaviors (e.g., overeating, physical inactivity, insufficient sleep; Duke & Borowsky, 2018; Isohookana et al., 2016; Park et al., 2020), setting the stage during adolescence for more established lifetime health behavior patterns (Alberga et al., 2012). Alterations in stress physiology have been implicated in adults with type 2 diabetes.…”