Sleep Problems, Tiredness, and Psychological Symptoms among Healthy Adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To examine the contribution of adolescents' sleep problems and tiredness to psychological symptoms after accounting for shared risk and psychological co-morbidity. METHODS: Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data on 12-16-year-old (N = 980) adolescents without chronic illness, functional limitation, or developmental delay. Adolescents rated sleep problems, tiredness, and psychological symptoms. Parents provided information about risk factors, adolescent tiredness, and psychological symptoms. RESULTS: Prior to accounting for psychological co-morbidity, most sleep variables were significant correlates of adolescent-, but not parent-rated, psychological symptoms. After accounting for psychological co-morbidity: nightmares were associated with adolescent-rated anxiety/depression; sleeping more than others was associated with adolescent-rated aggression; trouble sleeping was associated with adolescent-rated attention problems, anxiety/depression, and withdrawal; and adolescent-rated tiredness was associated with adolescent-rated aggression and withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: Studies examining sleep and psychopathology should control for psychological co-morbidity.