Sleepiness as a pathway linking race and socioeconomic status with academic and cognitive outcomes in middle childhood

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study examined self-reported sleepiness as a pathway of effects underlying racial and socioeconomic disparities in children's academic and cognitive performance. DesignThe study design was longitudinal, and path modeling was used to test study hypotheses. SettingData were collected from participants residing in semirural communities and small towns surrounding Auburn, AL. ParticipantsChildren (N = 282; 52% boys) participated in the study when they were 9 (M = 9.44, SD = .71) and 11 (M = 11.33, SD = .69) years old. The sample was 65% White/European American and 35% Black/African American. The majority of the children (63%) were living at or below the poverty line. MeasurementsAt age 9, children reported on their daytime sleepiness over the prior 2 weeks. At ages 9 and 11, children completed cognitive assessments in the laboratory, teachers reported on children's academic functioning, and schools provided state (Alabama) standardized test scores. ResultsAfrican American children and children from lower socioeconomic status homes reported greater sleepiness. Greater sleepiness, in turn, predicted lower academic functioning, cognitive performance, and Alabama standardized test scores. Sleepiness was a significant intervening variable, but not a mediator, in these pathways. Race was a stronger predictor of sleepiness than socioeconomic status when both were entered in the same model. ConclusionsResults highlight sleepiness as a pathway of effects linking race and socioeconomic status to academic and cognitive outcomes. Psychoeducation targeting sleepiness for African American and lower–socioeconomic status children may be beneficial for boosting achievement.