Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality

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Denis, Dan; Akhtar, Reece; Holding, Ben; Murray, C; Panatti, J; Claridge, Gordon; Sadeh, Avi; Barclay, Nicola L.; O'Leary, R; Maughan, Barbara; McAdams, Tom A.; Rowe, Richard; Eley, Thalia C.; Viding, Essi and Gregory, Alice M.. 2017. Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality. Sleep, 40(8), ISSN 0161-8105 [Article]

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Official URL: https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/doi/10.1093...

Abstract or Description

Study Objectives
Sleep quality is associated with different aspects of psychopathology, but relatively little research has examined links between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors or callous-unemotional traits. We examined: (1) whether an association exists between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors; (2) whether anxiety mediates this association; (3) whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with sleep quality.

Methods
Data from two studies were used. Study 1 involved 1556 participants of the G1219 study aged 18–27 years (62% female). Questionnaire measures assessed sleep quality, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. Study 2 involved 338 participants aged 18–66 years (65% female). Questionnaires measured sleep quality, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. In order to assess objective sleep quality, actigraphic data were also recorded for a week from a subsample of study 2 participants (n = 43).

Results
In study 1, poorer sleep quality was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. This association was partially mediated by anxiety and moderated by levels of callous-unemotional traits. There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and callous-unemotional traits. In study 2, poorer sleep quality, as assessed via self-reported but not objective measures, was associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, in study 2, better sleep quality (indicated in both questionnaires and actigraphy measures: lower mean activity, and greater sleep efficiency) was associated with higher levels of callous-unemotional traits.

Conclusions
Self-reports of poorer sleep quality are associated with externalizing behaviors, and this association is partially mediated by anxiety. Callous-unemotional traits are not associated with poor sleep and may even be related to better sleep quality. This is an exceptional finding given that poor sleep quality appears to be a characteristic of most psychopathology.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsx070