Journal Article

Acculturation Gap Conflict and Self-Control Mediate the Association Between Negative Affect and Sleep Problems for Hispanic/Latino(a) Adolescents

Trucco, Elisa M., Sutherland, Benjelene D., Bruzos, Manuel J., Sutherland, Matthew T.

2025

Overview

Background: Adolescent sleep problems are a public health concern, as roughly 60–70% of U.S. teens obtain less sleep than is recommended. Negative affect is a risk factor for adolescent sleep problems. However, factors explaining this association, to our knowledge, have not been explored in Hispanic/Latino(a) (H/L) adolescents. Acculturation gap conflict and low self-control may act as mediators linking negative affect to sleep problems. Methods: A sample of 223 H/L adolescents was assessed at three time points. We hypothesized that acculturation gap conflict and low self-control assessed at Wave 2 would mediate the association between negative affect at Wave 1 and sleep problems at Wave 3. Results: Negative affect predicted higher acculturation gap conflict, which in turn was associated with less self-control, and less self-control then predicted more sleep problems. Conclusions: These findings highlight acculturation gap conflict and low self-control as processes through which negative affect can impact later sleep problems in H/L adolescents. Elucidating modifiable factors impacting sleep health among H/L youth may inform intervention strategies. Targeting affect regulation, as well as improving parent-adolescent relationship quality within the context of acculturative differences, may help reduce sleep problems among this demographic group.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Academic achievement / Acculturation / Adolescent / Adolescents / Affect / Behavior problems / Caregivers / Children / Children & youth / Conflict / Culture / Data collection / Electronic cigarettes / Emotions / Executive function / Female / Health aspects / Hispanic Americans / Hispanic or Latino - psychology / Humans / Impulsivity / Interpersonal relations / Male / Mediation / Mental disorders / Mental health / Parent and child / Parent-child relations / Parents & parenting / Public health / Quality / Questionnaires / Racial discrimination / Risk factors / Self control / Self-Control - psychology / Sleep / Sleep disorders / Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology / Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology / Stress / Teenagers / Youth