Taylor, Mark J; Gregory, Alice M.; Freeman, Daniel and Ronald, Angelica. 2015. Do Sleep Disturbances and Psychotic-Like Experiences in Adolescence Share Genetic and Environmental Influences? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 124(3), pp. 674-684. ISSN 0021-843X [Article]

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Abstract or Description

Sleep disturbances regularly co-occur with clinical psychotic disorders and dimensions of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). One possible explanation for this, which has yet to be tested, is that similar genetic or environmental influences underlie sleep disturbances and vulnerability to PLEs. We conducted a twin study to test this possibility in relation to sleep disturbances and six specific PLEs in adolescence in the general population. Approximately 5,000 16-year-old twin pairs completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index. PLEs were assessed using the Specific PLEs Questionnaire, comprising five self-report subscales (Paranoia, Hallucinations, Cognitive Disorganization, Grandiosity, and Anhedonia) and one parent-report subscale (Negative Symptoms). The associations between these measures were tested using structural equation twin model fitting. Paranoia, Hallucinations, and Cognitive Disorganization displayed moderate and significant correlations with both sleep measures (0.32–.42), while Negative Symptoms, Anhedonia, and Grandiosity showed lower correlations (0.01–0.17). Genetic and environmental influences significantly overlapped across PLEs (Paranoia, Hallucinations, Cognitive Disorganization) and both types of sleep disturbance (mean genetic and nonshared environmental correlations = 0.54 and 0.24, respectively). These estimates reduced, yet remained significant, after controlling for negative affect. The association between PLEs with sleep disturbances in adolescence is partly due to genetic and environmental influences that are common to them both. These findings indicate that the known neurobiology of sleep disturbance may provide clues regarding the causes of PLEs in adolescence.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000057
Additional Information:	The research in this paper was funded by the UK Medical Research Council [G1100559 to Angelica Ronald]. TEDS is funded by a programme grant from the UK Medical Research Council [G0901245, and previously G0500079 to Robert Plomin]. Daniel Freeman is supported by an MRC Senior Clinical Fellowship and is a member of the Wellcome Trust Oxford Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi).
Keywords:	sleep, psychotic-like experiences, twin study, adolescence
Departments, Centres and Research Units:	Psychology
Dates:	Date Event August 2015 Published 4 May 2015 Published Online 1 March 2015 Accepted
Item ID:	11578
Date Deposited:	15 May 2015 09:35
Last Modified:	12 Mar 2021 12:37
Peer Reviewed:	Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.
URI:	https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/11578

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