0188 Mood Disorders Moderate the Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Leadership Development for U.S. Army Officer Candidates During ROTC Advanced Camp

Abstract

Abstract Introduction U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets are college students training to be Army Officers. During a month-long capstone course (Advanced Camp), Cadets are rated on their leadership ability. Little work has been done to determine predictors of leadership ability at Advanced Camp. This study examined the effect of poor sleep and mood disorders -- two prevalent factors among college students -- on leadership ability. Methods Metrics on leadership, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression, were assessed in 159 ROTC Cadets (22.06±2.49 years; 23.90%female) at Days 1 (Baseline), 14 (Mid), and 29 (Post) of Advanced Camp. Leadership ratings were determined by ROTC Instructors over the course of Advanced Camp (1–5 score; higher score indicates poorer leadership). Predictors were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The relationships between the predictors and leadership scores were tested using linear regression. The interaction between mood disorders and sleep quality on leadership was tested using SPSS Process (Model 1). Results Poorer sleep quality at the Post time point (reflecting the prior 2 weeks of sleep) predicted poorer leadership (B=.05,p=.03), while sleep quality from Baseline (B=.03,p=.14) and Mid (B=.01,p=.67) did not. Higher anxiety and depression scores from all time points predicted poorer leadership (p-values<.03). There was an interaction: higher anxiety and high depression predicted poorer leadership only in the context of poor sleep quality (not good or average sleep quality) [anxiety: R2=.04,F(1,159)=6.04,p=.02; interaction: R2=.03,F(1,155)=5.30,p=.02]. Conclusion The current study identified a relationship between sleep quality and leadership ratings in ROTC cadets. This relationship was moderated by anxiety and depression. ROTC instructors should encourage ROTC Cadets to take advantage of sleep opportunities at Advanced Camp in order to maximize leadership potential. Support Support for this study came from the Military Operational Medicine Research Program (MOMRP) of the United States Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC). Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the US Army or of the US