Does objectively assessed sleep at five years predict sleep and psychological functioning at 14 years? – Hmm, yes and no!

• Objective sleep in childhood predicted psychological functioning in adolescence.
• Psychological functioning included mental toughness, peer relationship, and stress.
• Objectively assessed sleep patterns did not predict current sleep patterns.

BackgroundWe tested the hypothesis that objectively assessed sleep at kindergarten level predicts sleep and psychological functioning in adolescence.MethodThirty-seven adolescents aged 14 years (SD = 1.3), of 67 participants assessed as preschoolers, took part in a follow-up study nine years later. Participants completed a series of questionnaires related to sleep and psychological functioning. Sleep-EEG clusters of poor, normal and good sleepers assessed as children nine years earlier were used as predictors for subjective sleep and psychological functioning in adolescence.ResultsAt the age of 14, those who were normal and good sleepers rather than poor sleepers at the age of five had more positive psychological functioning on dimensions including mental toughness, peer relationship, self-esteem, and perceived stress, but did not differ in current sleep patterns.ConclusionsObjectively assessed sleep patterns at the age of five are predictive of aspects of psychological functioning during adolescence.