0159 Sleep Disturbance, Media Consumption, and Post Traumatic Stress following Hurricane Harvey

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Experiencing one-time traumatic events such as a hurricane is known to produce sleep disturbances that may contribute to the development and maintenance of PTSD symptoms (Mellman, 2019). Additionally, greater exposure to media coverage during and following such events has been shown to contribute to elevated post-traumatic stress (PTS; Shin & Sommers, 2021). However, whether media consumption might moderate the relationship between sleep disturbances and PTS symptoms has not been examined. We examined these relationships in a sample of college students following Hurricane Harvey, an epic storm that hit Texas in 2017 and received non-stop media coverage for an extended period after the storm. Methods Participants were undergraduate students (N=260, M age=21.32) at the University of Houston during Hurricane Harvey. Students answered online surveys 6-8 months following the hurricane that measured sleep quality and PTS symptoms over the last month, and media use both during and immediately following the hurricane. Sleep was assessed using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and PTS symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 with sleep questions removed. Results Results indicated that active media consumption post hurricane was significantly correlated with PTS symptoms (r=.21, p<.001). Regression analyses showed sleep quality significantly predicted PTS symptoms (R2 change=.133, p<.001). However, contrary to expectation, this relationship was not moderated by active media consumption after Hurricane Harvey (R2 change=.19, p=.495). Conclusion Previous research has found both sleep disturbance and greater exposure to media coverage of traumatic events are associated with greater symptoms of PTS. Although media exposure to trauma may impact sleep quality, our findings suggest these factors to exert independent effects on PTS symptoms. Better understanding of the role of media consumption in the aftermath of trauma is needed to understand these relationships. Support (if any)