Sleep and Behavioral Correlates of Napping Among Young Adults: A Survey of First-Year University Students in Madrid,Spain

Objective: Between November 2002 and March 2003, the authors assessed the prevalence and correlates of napping among Spanish university students. Participants: The sample comprised 1,276 first-year university students; the mean age was 18.74 ± 1.24 years, and 35.45% were men. Methods: The study was cross-sectional, and the students completed self-report, anonymous questionnaires provided during an in-class survey. Results: Almost half (44%) of the sample reported napping (90% did so after lunch for longer than 1 hour). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that experiencing an irregular sleep-wakefulness pattern, having a morning school schedule, and being male were significant predictor variables of napping. Further significant outcome variables related to napping were having excessive daytime sleepiness, missing classes because of tiredness, better ability to concentrate later in the afternoon, and a perception of deeper nighttime sleep. Conclusions: Habitual napping is common among Spanish university students and associated with an irregular sleep-wakefulness pattern. Taking long postlunch naps seems to be used by students to cope with insufficient sleep and daytime sleepiness.     

Sleep Quality and Body Mass Index in College Students: The Role of Sleep Disturbances

Abstract

Objective: Obesity and its comorbidities have emerged as a leading public health concern. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sleep patterns, including duration and disturbances. Methods: A convenience sample of 515 college students completed an online survey consisting of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and self-reported height and weight to calculate BMI. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using components of the PSQI as predictors of overweight (BMI ≥ 25). Results: One-third of the participants had BMI ≥ 25, and 51% were poor-quality sleepers (PSQI > 5). Controlling for age and sex, only sleep disturbances were associated with overweight (odds ratio = 1.66, 95% confidence interval [1.08, 2.57]). Conclusions: Sleep disturbances, rather than sleep duration, predicted overweight among young adults; this is consistent with the most recent evidence in the literature. These findings support expanding the scope of wellness programs to promote healthy sleep among students.     

The State of Sleep Among College Students at a Large Public University

Abstract

Objective: Data about college student sleep were collected and used to develop an education campaign to improve sleep. Participants: On-campus residents at a large state university were surveyed on 4 occasions, October 2005 to April 2007. Sample size was 675 to 1,823 students. Fall 2005 mean age = 18.5 years, SD = 1.03 (range 18–30) years. Initial survey included 935 males and 1,859 females (2005–2006). Matched pairs data (2006–2007) included 91 males and 107 females. Twenty-six males and 22 females participated in interviews. Methods: A survey administered online included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, along with an 8-question in-person interview. Results: Poor sleep interacted with academics and mental health, and an education campaign positively affected student sleep. Conclusions: Teaching students how to effectively manage sleep can improve their well-being. Sleep may also be a gateway topic for health care professionals to address sensitive health issues such as depression.     

Exploring the Relationship Between Experiential Avoidance,Alcohol Use Disorders,and Alcohol-Related Problems Among First-Year College Students

Abstract

Objective: This study explored the relationship of experiential avoidance (eg, the tendency to avoid, suppress, or otherwise control internal experiences even when doing so causes behavioral harm) to alcohol use disorders and alcohol-related problems. Participants: Cross-sectional data were collected from 240 undergraduate college students in their first year in college between December 2009 and April 2010. Methods: Participants completed a diagnostic interview and online self-report survey. Results: Students with a history of alcohol abuse or dependence had significantly higher levels of experiential avoidance relative to students with no alcohol use disorder diagnosis. A hierarchical linear regression analysis found that experiential avoidance significantly predicted alcohol-related problems, even after controlling for gender and psychological distress. Furthermore, experiential avoidance mediated the relationship of psychological distress to alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: These findings suggest that experiential avoidance may play a role in problematic alcohol use among college students.     

Sleep Patterns of College Students at a Public University

Objective: The authors' purpose in this study was to determine the sleep patterns of college students to identify problem areas and potential solutions. Participants: A total of 313 students returned completed surveys. Methods: A sleep survey was e-mailed to a random sample of students at a North Central university. Questions included individual sleep patterns, problems, and possible influencing factors. Results: Most students reported later bedtimes and rise times on weekends than they did on weekdays. More than 33% of the students took longer than 30 minutes to fall asleep, and 43% woke more than once nightly. More than 33% reported being tired during the day. The authors found no differences between freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students for time to fall asleep, number of night wakings, or total time slept each night. Conclusions: Many students have sleep problems that may interfere with daily performance, such as driving and academics. Circadian rhythm management, sleep hygiene, and white noise could ameliorate sleep difficulties.     

Health-Related Variables and Academic Performance Among First-Year College Students: Implications for Sleep and Other Behaviors

Abstract

The authors analyzed the effect of several health behaviors and health-related variables on grade point averages of a random sample of 200 students living in on-campus residence halls at a large private university. The set of variables included exercise, eating, and sleep habits; mood states; perceived stress; time management; social support; spiritual or religious habits; number of hours worked per week; gender; and age. Of all the variables considered, sleep habits, particularly wake-up times, accounted for the largest amount of variance in grade point averages. Later wake-up times were associated with lower average grades. Variables associated with the 1st-year students' higher grade point averages were strength training and study of spiritually oriented material. The number of paid or volunteer hours worked per week was associated with lower average grades.     

Social Networks,Substance Use,and Mental Health in College Students

Abstract

Objectives: The relationship between social network risk (alcohol-using close friends), perceived peer closeness, substance use, and psychiatric symptoms was examined to identify risk and protective features of college students’ social context. Participants: Six hundred and seventy undergraduate students enrolled in a large southeastern university. Methods: An online survey was administered to consenting students. Results: Students with risky networks were at a 10-fold increase of hazardous drinking, 6-fold increase for weekly marijuana use, and 3-fold increase for weekly tobacco use. College students’ who feel very close to their peers were protected against psychiatric symptoms yet were at increased risk for marijuana use. Perceived closeness of peers was highly protective against psychiatric symptoms, adding a natural preventive effect for a population at great risk for mental illness. Conclusions: Results support targeting college students through network-oriented preventive interventions to address substance use as well as mental health.     

The Eating Disorders NOS Diagnostic Profile Among College Women

Abstract

The authors examined a proposed profile of eating-related behaviors, associated features, developmental issues, and help-seeking behavior among college women, using an eating disorder response program. The most common symptom scenario was a pattern of regular binge eating, together with daily exercise and occasional purging. The most common associated features were distressing or dysfunctional overconcern about body image and self-esteem, usually with day-to-day stress and intermittent depression. The women who fit this pattern also presented developmental issues of perfectionism, conflictual relationships with parents, and struggles for independence; and they tended to be ambivalent about seeking services. Implications for practice, including the need to develop a framework for eating disorder responses on campus that includes preventive programs and developmental interventions to target emerging and moderate concerns are discussed; limitations and the preliminary nature of the findings are explicated.     

Help Seeking and Treatment Use Among Suicidal College Students

Abstract

Objectives: Many suicidal college students do not receive mental health treatment, and the reasons for this are not fully understood. This study examines how attitudes, beliefs, and social network factors relate to help seeking among suicidal students. Participants: A random sample of 8,487 undergraduate and graduate students from 15 US universities participated. Methods: A Web-based survey administered in spring 2009 examined correlates of mental health service utilization among students reporting serious thoughts of suicide in the previous year (n = 543). Results: Correlates of treatment use included perceived need, beliefs that treatment is effective, contact with service users, lower personal stigma, higher perceived stigma, fewer positive relationships, and sexual minority or Caucasian identity. Conclusions: Help seeking among suicidal students is associated with a range of personal and social network factors. Campus strategies to enhance help seeking should be tailored to address identified facilitators and barriers to treatment use among target populations.     

Coping Strategies and Depression Among College Students Following Child Sexual Abuse in Turkey

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between type of coping style and depression in college students with child sexual abuse experience. A total of 1,055 college students completed self-report measures to assess depressive symptoms, coping strategies, and child sexual abuse history. This study was conducted with a subset of 125 college students who reported that they had been sexually abused in childhood. They were divided into depressive and nondepressive groups according to their depressive symptoms. Data was collected with the Childhood Sexual Abuse Measurement, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Coping Styles of Stress Scale. Family characteristics were measured with a demographic questionnaire. Analyses involved multiple regression to test for predictive effects. Among college students with child sexual abuse histories, parental education level and both problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies significantly explained depression scores.     

高就业率下的大学生就业质量问题探讨

就业质量问题不仅是大学生个人问题,也是教育问题更是社会问题,不仅关系到个人前途,也关系到高等学校的生存和发展,更关系到高等教育健康发展和社会协调发展。文章分析了当前部分高校毕业生就业质量现状及影响因素,对高校重视高就业率的同时如何提高毕业生就业质量的对策进行了探讨。     

Separate But Not Alone: Separation-Individuation Issues in College Students with Eating Disorders

It sometimes seems that the college experience is tailor-made for the development of eating disorders. Overwhelmed and bombarded by their feelings, college students often turn to behavioral means, like eating disorders, to cope. Contemporary research (e.g., Christenson et al., 1994) has shown that good and bad emotions alike can be managed by starvation, bingeing, overeating, purging, and/or obsessive exercise. For college students, many of the overwhelming feelings that are titrated by eating disorders are directly linked to the separation process. Adolescence has been called a second individuation. While Mahler et al. (1975) viewed separation-individuation as both a developmental stage and a lifetime's work, contemporary therapists often concentrate on the importance of early separation experiences. A postmodern perspective, however, recognizes the importance of connection as well as separation. Our culture is so focused on independence that many parents of college students do not recognize the importance of maintaining active contact with their older adolescents. It can be very helpful to view an eating disorder as representing a college student's attempt to negotiate separation and connection, dependence and autonomy. This article examines some of these dynamics and the implications for therapy with this population.     

Spiritual Well-Being and Suicidal Ideation Among College Students

Objective: This study explored whether specific dimensions of spiritual well-being (religious well-being and existential well-being) relate to reduced suicidal ideation, and whether associations persisted after controlling for religiosity and psychosocial variables associated with suicide. Participants: Participants were 457 college students who completed measures that assessed spiritual well-being, religiosity, hopelessness, depression, social support, and suicidal ideation. Methods: The authors used linear regression modeling to assess religious and spiritual correlates of suicidal ideation. Results: After controlling for demographic variables and psychosocial factors, neither involvement in organized religion nor religious well-being significantly contributed to suicidal ideation. However, even after controlling for significant correlates, existential well-being remained a significant predictor of suicidal ideation. Conclusions: This investigation highlighted existential well-being as an important factor associated with lower levels of suicidal ideation among college students. Findings from this study focusing on the association between spiritual well-being and suicidality may prove especially beneficial to suicide prevention efforts.     

A Study on the Sleep Patterns and Problems of University Business Students in Hong Kong

Abstract

Objective: To investigate sleep patterns and problems of university business students. Participants: Undergraduate Chinese business students in Hong Kong. Methods: Self-reported questionnaires were completed during class lectures and through online system. Results: Of the 620 participating students (mean age 19.9 years), sleep duration was significantly shorter during weekdays (6.9 hours) than weekends (8.6 hours). Two thirds of students reported sleep deprivation. The following factors were associated with being a “poor sleeper” (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index > 5): attending early morning lectures (odds ratio [OR] = 1.90), living on-campus (OR = 1.89), Sleep Sufficiency Index less than 0.8 (OR = 2.55), sleep debt (differences of total time-in-bed between weekday and weekend ≥ 75 minutes) (OR = 1.58), and minor psychiatric disturbances (OR = 2.82). Conclusions: Poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation were prevalent in university business students in Hong Kong, especially for those attending early morning lectures and living on-campus. Systemic education on the importance of sleep and stress and time management is needed for university students.     

Psychosocial Correlates of Premarital Sex Among College Students in Hunan Province,China

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the psychological and sociocultural factors associated with premarital sexual behavior among a sample of 1,875 Chinese college students in Hunan Province. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression were used to determine any variations in the variables between those who had initiated sex and those who had no sexual experience. Students who were impulsive decision makers were more likely to have had premarital sexual intercourse. Those participants who perceived that their parents/friends would approve of their having sex and those who were more exposed to sexual media programs were more likely to have premarital sexual intercourse. Male students were almost 2 times more likely than female students to have had premarital sex. The findings provide insights for developing reproductive and sexual health education programs for Chinese young adults.     

Weight and Weight-Related Behaviors Among 2-Year College Students

Abstract

Objectives and Participants: The purpose of this article is to describe weight indicators and weight-related behaviors of students enrolled in 2-year colleges, including sex differences. Methods: During Fall 2011 and Spring 2012, 441 students from 3 Minnesota community colleges enrolled in the Choosing Healthy Options in College Environments and Settings (CHOICES) Study and completed baseline assessments. Participants completed a baseline survey evaluating eating and activity patterns, sleep, and stress and measures of height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat. Results: Participants were primarily female (68%), white (73%), with a mean age of 22.8 years, and 66.2% reporting an annual income < $12,000. Almost half (47%) were overweight or obese. Young males appeared to engage the most in risky health behaviors and had higher levels of overweight or obesity, compared with young females. Conclusions: Findings confirm the need for innovative interventions targeting this understudied and underserved young adult population.     

Prevalence of Traumatic Events and PTSD Symptomatology Among a Selected Sample of Undergraduate Students

Abstract

University faculty and mental health counselors often work with students in distress which may be related to their experiences with traumatic accidents, interpersonal violence, or natural disaster. Traumatic events can have long-lasting effects, which include somatic complaints, substance abuse, “flashbacks,” and a reduction in memory and recall. The purpose of this study is to identify the number, types and severity of traumatic events that occur among a student sample from three academic departments (Sociology and Criminal Justice, Social Work, and Human Development) at a rural southern university. The sample of 234 undergraduate students confirmed previous research regarding the high number of self-reported traumas among college students. The study found that college-aged women are much more likely than men to report trauma and to seek counseling and treatment for its effects. Significant differences were noted in distributional patterns for men and women when reporting exposure to stressful events. The study's findings serve as an important indicator of the need for prevention, early recognition, and treatment for trauma victims. Suggestions are also provided to assist administrators in implementing the appropriate workplace and academic accommodations for PTSD victims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504).     

Examining the Relationships Between Resilience,Mental Health,and Academic Persistence in Undergraduate College Students

Abstract

Objective: In this study, the relationships between measures of interpersonal resilience, intrapersonal resilience, and mental health were examined with respect to academic and social integration, key determinants of academic persistence. Participants: A sample (n = 605) of undergraduate students was recruited from 2 midwestern universities during the 2007–2008 academic year. Methods: Hierarchal (or sequential) regression analysis examined whether the inter- and intrapersonal resilience and mental health measures contributed to explaining variance in the response variables of university cumulative grade point average (GPA) and university sense of belonging. Results: The intrapersonal resilience factors contributed to explaining variance in cumulative GPA in addition to aptitude and achievement. Furthermore, there was a strong statistical correlation between the inter- and intrapersonal resilience factors and mental health. Conclusions: The demands in college are significant and there is a need for more research on the concept of resilience as it relates to college health and academic persistence.     

Associations Between Past Bullying Experiences and Psychosocial and Academic Functioning Among College Students

Abstract. Objectives: This study examined whether childhood bullying victimization was associated with psychosocial and academic functioning at college. Participants: The sample consisted of 413 first-year students from a large northeastern university. Methods: Students completed an online survey in February 2012 that included items assessing past bullying involvement, current psychosocial and academic functioning, and victimization experiences since arriving at college. Results: Regression analyses indicated that reports of past bullying and other peer victimization were associated with lower mental health functioning and perceptions of physical and mental health, but were not associated with perceptions of social life at college, overall college experience, or academic performance. Conclusions: Childhood bullying victimization is associated with poorer mental and physical health among first-year college students. Colleges should consider assessing histories of bullying victimization, along with other past victimization exposures, in their service provision to students.