Exploring the longitudinal effects of sleep and physical activity on academic achievement across middle childhood and adolescence

Hoff, Bethany Joy Fleming

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/101205 Copy

Description

Title

Exploring the longitudinal effects of sleep and physical activity on academic achievement across middle childhood and adolescence

Author(s)

Hoff, Bethany Joy Fleming

Issue Date

2018-04-24

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Bub, Kristen L.

Department of Study

Educational Psychology

Discipline

Educational Psychology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

Achievement, adolescence, physical activity, sleep.

Abstract

Objective: Research has documented normative declines in school motivation and achievement across adolescence. There is some evidence to suggest that engaging in sufficient levels of sleep and physical activity across the transition to middle school might support subsequent achievement. Less is known about the role of pubertal development and sex in the relationship between health behaviors (e.g., sleep and physical activity) in middle childhood and changes in achievement across middle childhood and adolescence. Method: Participants in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were followed from birth through age 15, starting in 1991. Sleep and physical activity were assessed when children were in 6th grade achievement was assessed in 5th grade and again at age 15. Structural equation modeling was used to test associations between sleep, physical activity and directly assessed achievement and child reported academic self-concept across middle childhood and adolescence. Results: Findings suggest that there are long-term effects of sleep, indexed by self-reported general sleep problems, on changes in picture vocabulary skills. Children who report more sleep problems in 6th grade experienced greater declines in picture vocabulary skills across middle childhood and adolescence. Hours of sleep, time spent in physical activity, and time spent in sedentary behavior were not significantly associated with achievement outcomes. Conclusion: Sleep problems in middle childhood appear to have adverse effects on verbal comprehension skills across middle childhood and adolescence. These findings provide some evidence that improving sleep quality in middle childhood may help minimize losses in verbal comprehension and crystallized intelligence across middle childhood and adolescence.

Graduation Semester

2018-05

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/101205

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2018 Bethany Hoff

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