Poor Sleep Is Related to Lower Emotional Competence Among Adolescents.
The aim of the present study was to explore the association between subjective insomnia and self-reported emotional competence in areas such as regulating and perceiving one's own emotions and empathy, in a sample of adolescents. Gender differences were also explored. 366 adolescents in 10th to 12th grade (mean age: M = 16.9 years) took part in this cross-sectional study. They completed questionnaires related to emotional competencies, empathy, and sleep. Higher scores for insomnia were associated with lower scores for some aspects of emotional competence and empathy. Compared to males, females generally had higher scores for emotional competence. Poor sleep as subjectively experienced among adolescents is associated with specific impairments in emotional competence and empathy. Gender-related patterns were also observed.
a Center for Affective, Stress, and Sleep Disorders , Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland.
Serge
S
Brand
b Institute of Neurobiology , Bulgarian Academy of Sciences , Sofia , Bulgaria.
Roumen
R
Kirov
a Center for Affective, Stress, and Sleep Disorders , Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland.
Nadeem
N
Kalak
c Department of Sport, Exercise and Health , Sport Science Section, University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland.
Markus
M
Gerber
d Anxiety & Behavioral Health Clinic , Florida State University , Tallahassee , FL , USA.
Norman B
NB
Schmidt
e Department of Psychology , University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland.
Sakari
S
Lemola
f Zucker Hillside Hospital , New York , NY , USA.|g Hofstra North Shore LIJ School of Medicine , Hempstead , NY , USA.
Christoph U
CU
Correll
a Center for Affective, Stress, and Sleep Disorders , Psychiatric Clinics of the University of Basel , Basel , Switzerland.
Edith
E
Holsboer-Trachsler
D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057566:Self Report; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires