Longitudinal associations between sleep disturbance and disordered eating: the mediating role of emotion dysregulation

Objective Accruing evidence suggests a significant relationship between sleep disturbances and disordered eating. Early adolescence is a period of heightened vulnerability for sleep disturbances and disordered eating. However, the longitudinal relationship between sleep disturbance and disordered eating remains unclear in early adolescent samples. The current study aims to examine if sleep disturbance longitudinally predicts disordered eating in early adolescents 3 years later, how the odds of having clinically significant disordered eating change per each unit increase in sleep disturbance, and if emotion dysregulation mediates these relationships. Methods A sample of 6,161 early adolescents between 9 and 13 years old from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study (ABCD Study®) was examined with data extracted from baseline, 2-year follow-up, and 3-year follow-up. Participants who completed Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, Computerized Version (KSADS-COMP), Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) were included. A binary clinically significant disordered eating variable was created by coding participants who met criteria for present, past, or partial remission eating disorder diagnoses on the KSADS-5. Results Results indicated that greater sleep disturbance at baseline was associated with higher levels of disordered eating and clinically significant disordered eating at 3-year follow-up, and emotion dysregulation partially mediated these relationships (all ps < .001). Conclusions Given that sleep is a modifiable factor, these results underscore the potential for integrating sleep-focused interventions into ED prevention and treatment programs for early adolescents. Interventions targeting emotion regulation may help reduce the impact of sleep problems on disordered eating in early adolescents.