Association between sleep duration and social anxiety in children and adolecsents

Abstract

Objective To analyze the association between sleep duration and social anxiety in Chinese children and adolescents to provide evidence for promoting healthy lifestyle and mental health in children and adolescents.

Methods A total of 1 145 children and adolescents aged 7–16 were recruited by cluster random sampling in Beijing in 2020, and received a series of body measurements and questionnaire survey. Social Anxiety Scale for Children (SASC) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to evaluate the social anxiety symptoms and sleep duration of children and adolescents. T-test was used to compare the differences of social anxiety level in different groups, and multivariate linear regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between sleep duration and social anxiety.

Results The average score of social anxiety was (5.47±4.18). The social anxiety score of girls, participants aged 13–16, with insufficient physical activity and insufficient sleep duration were higher ( t=−4.34, −6.14, 3.35, 2.93, P<0.05). The results of multivariate linear regression model showed that after adjusting confounding factors, social anxiety decreased by 0.78 for each additional hour of sleep duration ( β=−0.78, 95% CI=−1.03–−0.54, P<0.01), with 0.60 in boys (95% CI=−0.95–−0.25), 0.90 in girls (95% CI=−1.24–−0.56), 0.75 among participants aged 7–12 (95% CI=−1.11–−0.40) and 0.76 among participants aged 13~16 (95% CI=−1.11–−0.41) ( P <0.01), respectively. Social anxiety among participants who were not overweight or obese decreased by 0.78 (95% CI=−1.09–−0.48) and 0.81 among overweight and obese group (95% CI=−1.22–−0.41) ( P<0.01) for each additional hour of sleep duration, respectively.

Conclusion Substantial differences in social anxiety are observed in children and adolescents by gender, age group and nutritional status. Sufficient sleep duration is significantly related to the decrease of social anxiety, and improve the overall level of student mental health.

Abstract

【摘要】 目的 分析儿童青少年睡眠时间与社交焦虑的关联, 为提倡儿童青少年保持健康的生活方式进而促进心理健康 提供依据。 方法 于 2020 年在北京市采取整群随机抽样的方式招募 1 145 名 7~16 岁儿童青少年, 对其进行一般身体测 量和问卷调査, 使用儿童社交焦虑量表和匹兹堡睡眠质量指数量表评价儿童青少年的社交焦虑症状和睡眠时间。使用 t 检验比较不同组社交焦虑得分的差异, 使用多元线性回归模型分析睡眠时间与社交焦虑之间的关联。 结果 研究对象的 社交焦虑平均得分为 (5.47±4.18) 分, 女生、13~16 岁、每日中髙强度体力活动时间不足和睡眠时间不足的儿童青少年社交 焦虑分数较髙 ( t 值分别为 −4.34, −6.14, 3.35, 2.93, P 值均<0.05)。多元线性回归模型结果显示, 在调整相关的混杂因素 后, 总体的睡眠时间每增加 1 h, 社交焦虑分数降低 0.78 分 ( β=−0.78, 95% CI=−1.03~−0.54, P<0.01), 男生和女生的社交 焦虑分数分别降低 0.60 (95% CI=−0.95~−0.25) 和 0.90 (95% CI=−1.24~−0.56) 分, 7~12 和 13~16 岁儿童青少年的社交焦 虑分数分别降低 0.75 (95% CI=−1.11~−0.40) 和 0.76 分 (95% CI=−1.11~−0.41), 非超重肥胖和超重肥胖儿童分别降低 0.78 (95% CI=−1.09~−0.48) 和 0.81 分 (95% CI=−1.22~−0.41) ( P 值均<0.01)。 结论 不同性别、年龄、营养状况儿童青 少年社交焦虑程度不同, 睡眠时间延长与社交焦虑分数降低相关。保证充足的睡眠有助于降低儿童青少年的社交焦虑程 度, 提髙心理健康水平。