Abstract
Despite the known deficits in sleep that occur during adolescence and the high prevalence of substance use behaviors among
this group, relatively little research has explored how sleep and substance use may be causally related. The purpose of this
study was to explore the longitudinal bi-directional relationships between sleep duration, sleep patterns and youth substance
use behaviors. Participants included 704 mostly white (86.4 %) youth, 51 % female, with a baseline mean age of 14.7 years.
Self-reported substance use behaviors included past month alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. Sleep measures included sleep
duration on weekends and weekdays, total sleep, weekend oversleep, and weekend sleep delay. Cross-lagged structural equation
models, accounting for clustering at the school level, were run to determine the longitudinal association between sleep and
substance use adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, pubertal status, body mass index z-score, and depressive symptoms.
Cigarette use and weekend sleep were bi-directionally related as were marijuana use and total sleep. No other bi-directional
associations were identified. However, alcohol use predicted shorter weekend oversleep and marijuana use predicted increased
weekend sleep and weekend oversleep. Sleep patterns and duration also predicted adolescents’ cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana
use. Sleep, both patterns and duration, and substance use among youth are intertwined. Future research is needed to explore
these bi-directional relationships, as well as other important contextual factors that may moderate these associations.
this group, relatively little research has explored how sleep and substance use may be causally related. The purpose of this
study was to explore the longitudinal bi-directional relationships between sleep duration, sleep patterns and youth substance
use behaviors. Participants included 704 mostly white (86.4 %) youth, 51 % female, with a baseline mean age of 14.7 years.
Self-reported substance use behaviors included past month alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. Sleep measures included sleep
duration on weekends and weekdays, total sleep, weekend oversleep, and weekend sleep delay. Cross-lagged structural equation
models, accounting for clustering at the school level, were run to determine the longitudinal association between sleep and
substance use adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics, pubertal status, body mass index z-score, and depressive symptoms.
Cigarette use and weekend sleep were bi-directionally related as were marijuana use and total sleep. No other bi-directional
associations were identified. However, alcohol use predicted shorter weekend oversleep and marijuana use predicted increased
weekend sleep and weekend oversleep. Sleep patterns and duration also predicted adolescents’ cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana
use. Sleep, both patterns and duration, and substance use among youth are intertwined. Future research is needed to explore
these bi-directional relationships, as well as other important contextual factors that may moderate these associations.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-13
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-012-9784-5
- Authors
- Keryn E. Pasch, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas, 1 University Station, D3700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Lara A. Latimer, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas, 1 University Station, D3700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Jessica Duncan Cance, Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas, 1 University Station, D3700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Stacey G. Moe, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
- Leslie A. Lytle, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891