title: Prospective longitudinal associations between persistent sleep problems in childhood and anxiety and depression disorders in adulthood.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the associations between persistent childhood sleep problems and adulthood anxiety and depression. Parents of 943 children (52% male) participating in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study provided information on their children's sleep and internalizing problems at ages 5, 7, and 9 years. When the participants were 21 and 26 years, adult anxiety and depression were diagnosed using a standardized diagnostic interview. After controlling for childhood internalizing problems, sex, and socioeconomic status, persistent sleep problems in childhood predicted adulthood anxiety disorders (OR (95% CI) = 1.60 (1.05-2.45), p = .030) but not depressive disorders (OR (95% CI) = .99 (.63-1.56), p = .959). Persistent sleep problems in childhood may be an early risk indicator of anxiety in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom. a.gregory@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Alice M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Avshalom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caspi
authors.forename: Thalia C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Eley
authors.forename: Terrie E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Moffitt
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Oconnor
authors.forename: Richie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poulton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors