The Mediating Effect of Sleep Quality on the Relationship between Emotional and Behavioral Problems and Suicidal Ideation

Luyao Xiao, Sheng Zhang, Wenyan Li, Ruipeng Wu, Wanxin Wang, Tian Wang, Lan Guo and Ciyong Lu
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Luyao Xiao: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Sheng Zhang: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Wenyan Li: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Ruipeng Wu: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Wanxin Wang: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Tian Wang: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Lan Guo: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Ciyong Lu: Department of Medical statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-11

Abstract: Emotional and behavioral problems in adolescents are associated with suicidal ideation, but different dimensions of problems may be associated with different levels of suicidal ideation. The aim of this large-scale study was to explore the relationship between different dimensions of emotional and behavioral problems and suicidal ideation in Chinese adolescents and to determine whether sleep disorders play a mediating role in the relationship. In total, 20,475 students completed the questionnaire regarding emotional and behavioral problems, sleep quality and suicidal ideation. After adjustment for covariates, total emotional and behavioral difficulties (adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.21–1.23) and sleep disorders (AOR = 4.17, 95% CI = 3.82–4.54) increased the risk of suicidal ideation, while prosocial problems (AOR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.90–0.93) decreased the risk of suicidal ideation. Sleep quality partially mediated the relationship between emotional and behavioral problems and suicidal ideation. The standardized indirect effects of emotional and behavioral difficulties on suicidal ideation (standardized β estimate = 0.031, 95% CI = 0.020, 0.044) and the effects of prosocial problems on suicidal ideation (standardized β estimate = −0.039, 95% CI = −0.045, −0.035) mediated by sleep quality were statistically significant ( p < 0.001). Our study indicates that emotional and behavioral problems increase the risk of suicidal ideation. Additionally, sleep quality plays a mediating role in the association between emotional and behavioral problems and suicidal ideation.

Keywords: emotional and behavioral problems; suicidal ideation; sleep quality; mediating effect; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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