Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Violence Exposure, Sleep Disturbance, and Poor Academic Performance in Middle School

  • Published:
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Violence has been linked to poor academic outcomes in youth, but there is little understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relation. This longitudinal survey study investigated whether sleep disturbance potentially mediates the associations between academic achievement and two forms of violence exposure--community violence and peer victimization-- in 498 seventh-grade youth. Structural equation models showed that community violence was associated with lower grade point average (GPA) directly and indirectly via sleep problems, whereas peer victimization was associated with lower GPA just indirectly via sleep problems. The structural models controlled for potential confounds, including depressive symptoms, intrusive thoughts and absenteeism. The findings suggest that failing grades and sleepiness in school may be signs that youth are exposed to violence. Interventions to improve sleep hygiene and reduce violence exposure may help to improve academic outcomes for youth.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Basch, C. E. (2011). Aggression and violence and the achievement gap among urban minority youth. The Journal of school health, 81(10), 619–625.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, R. H., & Corwyn, R. F. (2002). Socioeconomic status and child development. [Review]. Annual review of psychology, 53, 371–399. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135233.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buckhalt, J. A., & Staton, L. E. (2011). Children’s sleep, cognition, and academic performance in the context of economic status and ethnicity. In M. El-Sheikh (Ed.), Sleep and development: Familial and socio-cultural considerations (pp. 219–244). NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckhalt, J. A., El-Sheikh, M., Keller, P. S., & Kelly, R. J. (2009a). Concurrent and longitudinal relations between children’s sleep and cognitive functioning: the moderating role of parent education. Child development, 80(3), 875–892.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buckhalt, J. A., Wolfson, A. R., & El-Sheikh, M. (2009b). Children’s sleep and school psychology practice. School Psychology Quarterly, 24(1), 60–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. A., Berliner, L., & March, J. S. (2000). Treatment of children and adolescents. In E. B. Foa, T. M. Keane, & M. J. Friedman (Eds.), Effective treatments for PTSD: Practice guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (pp. 106–138). NY: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooley-Quille, M., & Lorion, R. (1999). Adolescents’ exposure to community violence: Sleep and psychophysiological functioning. Journal of Community Psychology, 27, 367–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crouch, J. L., Hanson, R. F., Saunders, B. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., & Resnick, H. S. (2000). Income, race/ethnicity, and exposure to violence in youth: Results from the national survey of adolescents. Journal of Community Psychology, 28(6), 625–641.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curcio, G., Ferrara, M., & De Gennaro, L. (2006). Sleep loss, learning capacity and academic performance. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 10(5), 323–337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, R. E. (1996). The impact of inadequate sleep on children’s daytime cognitive function. Seminars in pediatric neurology, 3(1), 44–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, A. D., Kung, E. M., White, K. S., & Vaois, R. F. (2000). The structure of self-reported aggression, drug use, and delinquent behaviors during early adolescence. Journal of clinical child psychology, 29, 282–292.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fekkes, M., FPijpers, F. I. M., & Verloove-Vanhorick, S. P. (2004). Bullying behavior and associations with psychosomatic complaints and depression in victims. The Journal of Pediatrics, 144, 17–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D., Ormrod, R., Turner, H., & Hamby, S. L. (2005). The victimization of children and youth: a comprehensive, national survey. Child maltreatment, 10(1), 5–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D., Turner, H., Ormrod, R., & Hamby, S. L. (2010). Trends in childhood violence and abuse exposure: evidence from 2 national surveys. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 164(3), 238–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, P.J., Tompsett, C.J., Braciszewski, J.M., Jacques-Tiura, J.J., & Baltes, B.B. (2009). Community violence: A meta-analysis on the effect of exposure and mental health outcomes of children and adolescents. Development and Psychopathology, 21, 227-259.

  • Furlong, M. J., Chung, A., Bates, M., & Morrison, R. L. (1995). Who are the victims of school violene? A comparison of student non-victims and multi-victims. Education & Treatment of Children, 18(3), 282–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garbarino, J. (1999). The effects of community violence on children. In C. T.-L. L. Balter (Ed.), Child Psychology, A Handbook of Contemporary Issues (pp. 412–425). NY: Psychology Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giannopoulou, I., Smith, P., Ecker, C., Strouthos, M., Dikaiakou, A., & Yule, W. (2006). Factor structure of the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES) with children exposed to earthquake. Personality and Individual Differences, 40(5), 1027–1037.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gini, G. (2008). Associations between bullying behaviour, psychosomatic complaints, emotional and behavioural problems. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 44, 492–497.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Glod, C. A., Teicher, M. H., Hartman, C. R., Harakal, T., & McGreenery, C. E. (1997). Enduring effects of early abuse on locomotor activity, sleep, and circadian rhythms. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 821, 465–467.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henrich, C. C., Schwab-Stone, M. E., Fanti, K., Jones, S. M., & Ruchkin, V. (2004). The association of community violence exposure with middle-school achievement: A prospective study. Applied Developmental Psychology, 25, 327–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Juvonen, J., Nishina, A., & Graham, S. (2000). Peer harassment, psychological adjustment, and school functioning in early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 349–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kilpatrick, D. G., Ruggiero, K. J., Acierno, R., Saunders, B. E., Resnick, H. S., & Best, C. L. (2003). Violence and risk of PTSD, major depression, substance abuse/dependence, and comorbidity: results from the National Survey of Adolescents. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 71(4), 692–700.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kliewer, W., Lepore, S. J., Oskin, D., & Johnson, P. D. (1998). The role of social and cognitive processes in children's adjustment to community violence. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 66(1), 199–209.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kliewer, W., Cunningham, J. N., Diehl, R., Parrish, K. A., Walker, J. M., Atiyeh, C., et al. (2004). Violence exposure and adjustment in inner-city youth: child and caregiver emotion regulation skill, caregiver-child relationship quality, and neighborhood cohesion as protective factor. Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology, 33(3), 477–487.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kliewer, W., Lepore, S. J., Farrell, A. D., Allison, K. W., Meyer, A. L., Sullivan, T. N., et al. (2011). A school-based expressive writing intervention for at-risk urban adolescents' aggressive behavior and emotional lability. Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology, 40(5), 693–705.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kliewer, W., Dibble, A. E., Goodman, K., & Sullivan, T. N. (2012). Physiological correlates of peer victimization and aggression in African American urban adolescents. Development and psychopathology, 637–650.

  • Kovacs, M. (1981). Rating scales to assess depression in school-age children. Acta Paedopsychiatrica, 46, 305-315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lepore, S. J., & Smyth, J. (Eds.). (2002). The Writing Cure: How Expressive Writing Influences Health and Well-Being. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luthar, S. S., & Goldstein, A. (2004). Children's exposure to community violence: implications for understanding risk and resilience. Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology, 33(3), 499–505.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacKinnon, D. P. (2008). Introduction to Statistical Mediation Analysis. New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martens, M. P. (2005). The use of structural equation modeling in counseling psychology. The Counseling Psychologist, 33, 269–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, D. N., McGee, R., & Stanton, W. R. (1992). Sleep problems in adolescence. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 31(1), 94–99.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Muthen, L. K., & Muthen, B. O. (1998). Mplus User's Guide. Los Angeles, CA: Muthen & Muthen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamoto, J., & Schwartz, D. (2009). Is peer victimization associated with academic achievement? A meta-analytic review. Social Development, 19(2), 221–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamoto, J., & Schwartz, D. (2010). Is peer victimization associated with academic achievement? A meta-analytic review. Social Development, 19(2), 221–242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nishina, A., & Juvonen, J. (2005). Daily reports of witnessing and experiencing peer harassment in middle school. Child development, 76(2), 435–450.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Overstreet, S., & Braun, S. (1999). A preliminary examination of the relationship between exposure to community violence an academic functioning. School Psychology Quarterly(14), 380–396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Overstreet, S., & Braun, S. (2000). Exposure to community violence and post-traumatic stress symptoms: mediating factors. The American journal of orthopsychiatry, 70(2), 263–271.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owens, J. A., Belon, K., & Moss, P. (2010). Impact of delaying school start time on adolescent sleep, mood, and behavior. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 164(7), 608–614.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paavonen, E. J., Almqvist, F., Tamminen, T., Moilanen, I., Piha, J., Rasanen, E., et al. (2002). Poor sleep and psychiatric symptoms at school: an epidemiological study. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 11(1), 10–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pynoos, R. S., Frederick, C., Nader, K., Arroyo, W., Steinberg, A., Eth, S., et al. (1987). Life threat and posttraumatic stress in school-age children. [Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't]. Archives of general psychiatry, 44(12), 1057–1063.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raferty, A. E. (1993). Bayesian model selection in structural equation models. In K. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing Structural Equation Models (pp. 163–180). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richters, J. E., & Saltzman, W. (1990). Survey of children’s exposure to community violence: Parent report and self-report version. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Mental Health.

  • Richters, J. E., & Martines, P. (1993). The NIMH Community Violence Project: I. Children as victims of and witnesses to violence. Psychiatry, 56, 7-21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sadeh, A. (2007). Consequences of sleep loss or sleep disruption in children. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 2, 513–520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schumacker, R. E., & Lomax, R. G. (2004). A beginner's guide to structural equation modeling. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwab-Stone, M. E., Ayers, T. S., Kasprow, W., Voyce, C., Barone, C., Shriver, T., et al. (1995). No safe haven: a study of violence exposure in an urban community. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(10), 1343–1352.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, D., & Gorman, A. H. (2003). Community violence exposure and children's academic functioning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(163–173).

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, D., Gorman, A. H., Nakamoto, J., & Toblin, R. L. (2005). Vitcimization in the peer group and children's academic functioning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 97, 425–435.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suhr, D. D. (2003). Exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis. Paper presented at the SAS Users Group International Conference, Seattle, WA, April, 2003

  • Sullivan, T. N., Kung, E. M., & Farrell, A. D. (2004). Relation between witnessing violence and drug use initiation among rural adolescents: parental monitoring and family support as protective factors. Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology, 33(3), 488–498. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp3303_6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swearer, S. M., Espelage, D. L., Vaillancourt, T., & Hymel, S. (2010). What can be done about school bullying? Linking research to educational practice. Educational Researcher, 39(1), 38–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn Bacon, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahlstrom, K. (2002). Changing times: findings from the first longitudinal study of later high school start times. NASSP Bulletin, 86(633), 3–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfson, A. R., & Carskadon, M. A. (1998). Sleep schedules and daytime functioning in adolescents. Child Development, 69(4), 875-887.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfson, A. R., & Carskadon, M. A. (2003). Understanding adolescents' sleep patterns and school performance: a critical appraisal. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 7(6), 491–506.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, J. S. (2009). No bullies allowed: understanding peer victimization, the impacts on delinquency, and the effectiveness of prevention programs. Santa Monica, CA: Doctoral dissertation, The Pardee RAND Graduate School.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors’ Notes

We thank the teachers and students who participated in this study, and the Writing for Health staff who implemented the project. We also thank Suniya Luthar and Wendy Troop-Gordon for their thoughtful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. The National Institutes of Mental Health provided a grant (R01MH081166) that supported this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Temple University, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave, 957 Ritter Annex, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA

    Stephen J. Lepore

  2. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Wendy Kliewer

Authors
  1. Stephen J. Lepore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wendy Kliewer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen J. Lepore.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lepore, S.J., Kliewer, W. Violence Exposure, Sleep Disturbance, and Poor Academic Performance in Middle School. J Abnorm Child Psychol 41, 1179–1189 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-013-9709-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-013-9709-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation