Sleep Health. 2025 Oct 30:S2352-7218(25)00216-5. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2025.09.009. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Positive childhood experiences (PCEs), defined as positive social experiences and environments which foster healthy child development, are associated with better mental and physical health outcomes and moderate the negative effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). However, knowledge of the associations between PCEs and childhood sleep deficiency is limited. We conducted cross-sectional analyses of the 2022-2023 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) to evaluate associations between PCEs and insufficient sleep (defined as sleeping the recommended number of hours for age each weeknight).
METHODS: Parents of children ages 6-17 years old (n = 56,540) reported on their child’s exposure to 7 PCEs, including having a resilient and connected family, having an adult mentor, participating in after school activities or volunteering in the community, and living in a supportive and safe neighborhood. Associations between PCEs and insufficient sleep were evaluated using weighted, multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors.
RESULTS: We found that PCEs had dose-dependent associations with insufficient sleep; children and adolescents exposed to higher numbers of PCEs (5-7 PCEs) had the lowest reported rate of insufficient sleep (29.5%), while those exposed to 2 or fewer PCEs had the highest rate of insufficient sleep (48.0%). Adjusted analysis confirmed that youth experiencing 5-7 PCEs had significantly lower odds of insufficient sleep relative to youth experiencing only 0-2 PCEs (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50-0.68, p<.0001). PCEs moderated associations between ACEs and insufficient sleep.
CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, youth with greater PCEs exposure had lower prevalence rates of insufficient sleep. Furthermore, PCEs were associated with reduced prevalence of insufficient sleep among youth exposed to ACEs.
PMID:41173756 | DOI:10.1016/j.sleh.2025.09.009
