Trajectories of Nonrestorative Sleep in First-year College Students: The Roles of Childhood Emotional Abuse and Resilience.

OBJECTIVE

Nonrestorative sleep (NRS) is common among college students; however, its temporal changes and predictors are poorly understood. This study aimed to identify NRS trajectories among first-year Chinese college students and to examine how childhood emotional abuse (EA) and resilience predict these trajectories.

METHODS

Six hundred and fourteen first-year Chinese college students were enrolled in a 12-month longitudinal tracking study, assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Morning and Evening Questionnaire-5, and NRS Scale (NRSS). Data were analyzed employing latent growth curve modeling, latent class growth modeling, and multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

The global score of NRSS (higher scores indicate fewer symptoms of NRS) showed a linear increase overall. EA predicted poorer restorative sleep at baseline (β = -0.255, < 0.001). Resilience predicted better restorative sleep over time (β = 0.271, β = 0.327, β = 0.292, all < 0.001). Latent class analysis identified two NRSS trajectories: (a) high-increasing class (41.5% of the sample; declining NRS) and (b) low-stable class (58.5%; persistent high NRS). Higher levels of EA corresponded to greater likelihood of belonging to the low-stable class relative to the high-increasing class (OR=1.177, 95% CI [1.106, 1.252]). In contrast, higher resilience corresponded to lower likelihood of being in the low-stable class (OR=0.915, 95% CI [0.890, 0.941]).

CONCLUSION

EA is a predisposing factor for NRS among college students, while resilience is a protective factor for restorative sleep. It is essential to consider EA and resilience in any intervention efforts to reduce NRS.