Adverse childhood experiences, depressive symptoms and sleep duration among middle-aged and older adults in China: a mediation analysis

There is a paucity of research on the link between adverse childhood experiences, sleep duration and depressive symptoms among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. The present study aimed to examine whether sleep duration statistically mediated the association between adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in China. Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of in 2014 and 2018. A total of 9,914 participants over 45 years old were included in the analysis. We conducted the linear regression model and bootstrap analyses to test the statistical mediating role of sleep duration in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms. In this study, childhood socioeconomic disadvantages ( β = 0.465, P < 0.001), parental involved trauma ( β = 0.497, P < 0.001) ,maladaptive parental trauma ( β = 0.153, P < 0.05), and other trauma ( β = 1.350, P < 0.001) were associated with depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults. Sleep duration showed significant statistical mediating associations between childhood socioeconomic disadvantages ( β = 0.066, P < 0.001), parental involved trauma ( β = 0.043, P < 0.05), maladaptive parental trauma ( β = 0.046, P < 0.01), other trauma ( β = 1.140, P < 0.001) and depressive symptoms, respectively. Adverse childhood experiences were associated with depressive symptoms, and sleep duration statistically mediated this association. These findings suggest that sleep health may warrant greater attention among middle-aged and older adults exposed to childhood adversity.