LAUSR

College students are at risk for sleep disturbances that may influence academic performance and cognitive function. Poor sleep hygiene and sleep quality over time results in inadequate sleep and daytime sleepiness, which, if not addressed, eventually leads to sleep deprivation and adverse health effects. The current study aims to identify if sleep hygiene practices and self-efficacy relate to poor and good sleepers categorized according to the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Score > or < 5) among a sample of college students. Secondary analysis of baseline data from college student participants aged 18-26 from an intervention study was used. All participants completed demographic, sleep hygiene, and sleep quality assessments. (e.g., Sleep hygiene index [SHI], Self-efficacy for sleep hygiene inventory [SHESHI], and PSQI). Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographic, sleep quality, and sleep hygiene variables. The sample (n=119) included 15 Freshmen, 30 Sophomores, 52 Juniors, and 21 Seniors, of which 26 were male and 93 female college students. The total sample mean age=20.6 y +2.0, range: 18-26; 82.4% were White, 55% worked part-time, and 69.8% considered themselves night owls. Data were examined to determine if poor and good sleepers differed across key demographic variables. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups. The sample comprised 47.0 % (n=56) poor sleepers and 52.9% (n=63) good sleepers. A Mann-Whitney U test was run to determine if there were differences in self-efficacy scores and sleep hygiene practices between poor and good sleepers. Mean rank self-efficacy scores for poor sleepers (44.15) were significantly lower than for good sleepers (74.09), U=876, z = -4.725, p <.001. Mean rank sleep hygiene index scores for poor sleepers (76.05) were significantly higher than good sleepers (45.73) U=865, z = -4.793, p <.001. Preliminary descriptive findings highlight significant characteristics of sleep hygiene efficacy in college students with good and poor sleep. All surveys were subjective measures. Future use of an objective measure of actual sleep time and sleep health index would add to an understanding of sleep issues in college students. N/A