Anxiety as a mediador between executive functions and sleep habits in children and adolescents.

Abstract

Introduction. Upon the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic, levels of anxiety have increased considerably in children and adolescents. According to authors, alterations in executive functioning are also associated with disturbances in health habits, such as sleep in children and adolescents. Although the scientific literature has deeply examined the influence of health habits on executive functions, little is known about the impact of executive functions on sleep habits in youngsters. Objective. This investigation analyzes the relationship between anxiety, sleep habits and executive functions, as well as anxiety and executive functions as potential predictors of sleep habits, and the mediating role of anxiety in the effects of executive functions on sleep habits. Methods. An online questionnaire was administered to 953 parents of children and adolescents (53.7% boys, n=512) with a mean age of 10.86 (DT=3.29). Parents filled the questionnaire out based on their children’s information. Results. Alterations in executive functions correlated strongly/moderately, positively and significantly with anxiety (0.559, p<0.001) and sleep habits disturbances (0.375, p<0.001). Anxiety (β=0.308, t=8.837, p<0.001, [0.100, 0.158]) and executive functions (β=0.203, t=5.816, p<0.001, [0.030, 0.060]) appear to be potential predictors of sleep habits (R2=0.204, F=33.829, p<0.001). Anxiety appears to mediate in the relationship between executive functions and sleep habits (β=0.379, SE=0.005, [0.029, 0.047]). Conclusions. Our findings confirm the relationship between the study variables. Specifically, our analyses show anxiety and executive functions as predictors of sleep habits, and the potential role of mediation of anxiety between executive functions and sleep habits in children and adolescents.