Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-4-2022
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Sarah Bilsky
Second Advisor
Matthew Reysen
Third Advisor
Kristin Austin
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
Both substance use and sleep disturbance are common in adolescence. Additionally, alcohol use specifically is positively associated with a number of sleep disturbances. However, little to no research has examined factors that may influence the relation between problematic alcohol use and sleep disturbances among adolescents or adults. One factor that may be particularly important to consider in this regard is anxiety sensitivity (AS; i.e., the tendency to interpret unpleasant physiological sensations as dangerous). Among previous studies, anxiety sensitivity has been found associated with both increased alcohol consumption and sleep disturbances. The current study evaluated the main and interactive effects of AS and sleep difficulties in relation to problematic alcohol use among 186 adolescents (n = 39 boys, n = 112 girls, and n = 35 non-binary) between the ages of 13 and 17 years (Mage = 16.11; SD = 1.03). Participants were recruited using social media platforms (i.e., Facebook and Instagram) to complete a set of surveys. Results of the study suggested that consistent with the first hypothesis, anxiety sensitivity and sleep difficulties were uniquely associated with adolescent alcohol problems. Other hypotheses were not supported. Collectively, these findings highlight the importance of considering the unique and interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and sleep disturbance on alcohol use among adolescents.
Recommended Citation
Armstrong, Gabrielle Meshell, "The Interaction between Anxiety Sensitivity and Sleep Disturbance in Relation to Alcohol Use among Adolescents" (2022). Honors Theses. 2522.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2522
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