title: Childhood abuse as a risk factor for sleep problems in adulthood: evidence from a U.S. national study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulating evidence indicates that stress impairs sleep quality. Few studies, however, have examined the extent to which early life stress can jeopardize sleep in adulthood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Guided by a life course epidemiological perspective on health, this study examined associations between childhood abuse and adult sleep problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from 835 respondents in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS). Self-report measures assessed the frequency of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse in childhood, as well as global and component indicators of sleep problems in adulthood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Having experienced all three types of childhood abuse-even infrequently-was associated with global sleep pathology, as well as specific types of sleep problems. Reports of both frequent physical and frequent emotional abuse-even in the absence of sexual abuse-were also associated with poor sleep.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood abuse is a risk factor for individuals' long-term sleep problems.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 536 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. egreenf@ssw.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Greenfield
authors.forename: Chioun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Elliot L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Kristen W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Springer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology