Citation

Cousins JC, Whalen DJ, Dahl RE, Forbes EE, Olino TM, Ryan ND, Silk JS. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2011; 36(9): 969-979.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh and University of California, Berkeley.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsr036

PMID

21795377

PMCID

PMC3173744

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examines relationships between affect and sleep in youth with affective disorders using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). METHODS: Participants included 94 youth, ages 8-16 (M = 11.73, 53% female) years with an anxiety disorder only (n = 23), primary major depressive disorder (with and without a secondary anxiety diagnoses; n = 42), and healthy controls (n = 29). A cell phone EMA protocol assessed affect and actigraphy measured sleep. RESULTS: The patterns of bidirectional relationships between affect and sleep differed across diagnostic groups. Higher daytime positive affect and positive to negative affect ratios were associated with more time in bed during the subsequent night for youth with primary depression and less time in bed for youth with anxiety only. More time asleep was associated with more positive affect for both diagnostic groups the following day. CONCLUSIONS: This relationship may be important to consider in the treatment of youth affective disorders.

Language: en