0064 Youth Sleep-Wake Experience in Juvenile Justice Facilities: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Adolescents are susceptible to sleep loss due to biological and environmental factors such as delayed circadian timing and schedule demands. Few studies have examined sleep-wake patterns for adolescents residing in juvenile justice facilities. The current study assessed youth’s self-reported sleep-wake schedules, sleep environment perceptions, and sleep quality. Methods Participants were recruited from 11 juvenile services detention and treatment facilities in Maryland. For seven consecutive mornings, youth completed a sleep-wake diary reporting their bed/wake times, sleep onset, and type of (nocturnal) light exposure. Youth wore digital wristwatches to accurately depict their sleep-wake schedules. Sleep quality and wake difficulty were rated on a scale from 1-10 (1=very poor/easy to 10=very good/hard, respectively). Results Participants (N= 64) were 13-19 years old (M= 16.7, SD= 1.3 years) and 85.9% male. Racial backgrounds: 61% Black, 18% White, 8% Multiracial, and 13% Other. Youth-reported bedtimes (M= 21:04, SD= :50) were about 50 minutes earlier than their sleep onset times (M= 21:52, SD= 1:02) while wake times (M= 6:41, SD= :46) were about 20 minutes earlier than the time youth reported leaving their bed (M= 7:00, SD= :44). Youth disclosed waking up throughout the night (M= 1.7, SD= 9) for an average 16.8 minutes (SD= 14.9). Multiple diary-responses (58%) noted “partial or overhead” lights were on in youth’s sleeping areas; 23.4% wrote in “other” types of light sources, most of which were blue lights (63%). Average sleep quality (M= 5.7, SD= 2.1) and difficulty waking up ratings (M= 5.4, SD= 2.2) indicate mediocre sleep. Conclusion Findings summarize youth’s sleep-wake experience while residing in a juvenile justice facility. Reported bedtimes are earlier than sleep onset times which increases the likelihood for conditioned insomnia. Circadian dysregulation of sleep behavior can develop from frequent night awakenings and light exposure, particularly, blue light. Ultimately, these findings will help develop facility-wide interventions, improving the youth’s sleep-wake schedules and other environmental influences. Support (If Any) This research is made possible by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Foundation Award #22-CS-19 and Department of Juvenile Services’ supportive collaboration.