Life stress, sense of belonging and sleep in American Indian college students

Abstract

ObjectivesIn a sample of 90 American Indian (AI) college students (Age M(SD) = 21.47(3.02), 61.1% female), we investigated relationships between stress (perceived psychological stress and recent negative life events), sense of belonging to the university community and tribal community and sleep. We hypothesized that belonging and stress would associate with sleep. MethodsParticipants wore a wrist accelerometer for 7 nights and answered surveys during an in-lab visit. ResultsSense of belonging to the university community associated with actigraphy-measured wake after sleep onset (WASO) (β = −.45, t(80) = −3.98, P < .001, R2 change = 0.16), total sleep time (β = .30, t(80) = 2.49, P = .02, R2 change = .07), sleep efficiency (β = .38, t(80) = 3.29, P = .001, R2 change = .11) and subjective global sleep quality (β = −.44, t(75) = −4.82, P < .001, R2 change = .15). Sense of belonging to the tribal community predicted average wake after sleep onset (β = −.29, t(80) = −2.64, P = .01, R2 change = 0.08). Total negative life events in the preceding year associated with WASO (β = .24, t(80) = 2.19, P = .03, R2 change = 0.05), while perceived psychological stress associated with actigraphy-measured sleep efficiency (β = −.28, t(80) = −2.25, P = .03, R2 change = 0.06) and subjective global sleep quality (β = .40, t(78) = 3.94, P < .001, R2 change = 0.16). ConclusionsStress and sense of belonging associate with sleep in AI college students. Future research should investigate whether life stress and belonging may affect health in this population by affecting patterns of sleep and investigate psychosocial resources that may moderate the relationships between stress, belonging and sleep.