Elsevier

Journal of Psychiatric Research

Volumes 66–67, July–August 2015, Pages 54-59
Journal of Psychiatric Research

Poor sleep and reactive aggression: Results from a national sample of African American adults

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.04.015Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Reduced sleep duration is associated with increased reactive aggression.

  • Individuals very dissatisfied with their sleep are more likely to lose their temper.

  • Being very dissatisfied with sleep is more likely for people who fight physically.

  • Persons reporting everyday discrimination sleep more poorly.

  • Persons reporting problems managing stress sleep more poorly.

Abstract

Background

We know that poor sleep can have important implications for a variety of health outcomes and some evidence suggests a link between sleep and aggressive behavior. However, few studies have looked at this relationship among African-Americans in the United States.

Methods

Data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) and the NSAL Adult Re-Interview were used to examine associations between sleep duration and self-reported quality of sleep on reactive aggression among African American and Caribbean Black respondents between the ages of 18 and 65 (n = 2499).

Results

Controlling for an array of sociodemographic and psychiatric factors, sleep was found to be significantly associated with reactive aggression. Specifically, individuals who reported sleeping on average less than 5 h per night were nearly three times more likely to report losing their temper and engaging in a physical fight (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI = 1.22–8.02). Moreover, individuals who reported being “very dissatisfied” with their sleep were more than two times more likely to report losing their temper and engaging in physical fights (AOR = 3.32, 95% CI = 1.50–7.33). Persons reporting everyday discrimination and problems managing stress were more likely to sleep poorly.

Conclusions

The present study is among the first to document an association between poor sleep and reactive violence among African-Americans. Findings suggest that reducing discrimination may lead to improved sleep and subsequently reduce forms of reactive violence.

Section snippets

Current study aim

We know that poor sleep can have important implications for a variety of health outcomes, and some evidence suggests a link between sleep and aggressive behavior. However, few studies have looked at this relationship among African-American groups in the United States, especially using nationally representative epidemiologic samples. Given the heightened stressors confronted by African Americans, including their extensive experiences of discrimination and greater involvement in violence in the

Sample and procedures

Study findings are based on data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) and the NSAL Adult Re-Interview (RIW; Jackson et al., 2004). The NSAL/RIW is a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized African-American, Caribbean Black, and non-Hispanic white adults ages 18 and older in the United States. The survey gathered background data and extensive information about mental disorders from individuals living in households across the United States. The current study

Sleep and reactive aggression

As revealed in Table 1, individuals reporting reactive aggression were significantly more likely to be between the ages of 18 and 34 (AOR = 3.43, 95% CI = 1.34–8.78), male (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.28–3.09), and to have earned less than a high school education (AOR = 5.19, 95% CI = 1.60–16.84). In controlling for other sociodemographic and psychiatric factors, no significant associations were identified for race/ethnicity, household income, marital status, or any of the psychiatric control

Discussion

Sleep is a key to good health and poor sleep compromises well-being. To our knowledge, the present study is the largest investigation to date examining the relationship between poor sleep and reactive violence among African-Americans. Consistent with the study hypothesis, we found that poor sleep quality and sleep duration were associated with increased likelihood of reactive aggression. In particular, we found that individuals who reported sleeping on average less than 5 h per night were

Role of funding source

The authors wish to confirm that there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome.

Contributors

Michael Vaughn conceptualized the study and led the literature review, study design, and analytic strategy. Christopher Salas-Wright conducted the statistical analysis. Norman White and Kristen Kremer reviewed literature and contributed writing. All authors have approved the final manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors wish to confirm that there are no known financial or personal conflicts of interest associated with this publication that could have influenced its outcome.

Acknowledgment

The authors do not wish to make any additional acknowledgements for contribution to this manuscript.

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