| This doctoral dissertation seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the association between sleep variables (sleep duration, variability and problems) and risk-taking behaviors (general delinquency, substance use and sexual risk-taking) from late childhood into adolescence. The study examines the change over time in sleep and risk-taking separately and the association between these variables over time. The influences of pubertal development and parental monitoring on the association between sleep and risk-taking are considered. Finally, executive functioning and impulse control are explored as possible mediators that may explain the association. Data for the study are drawn from the National Institutes of Child Health and Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD) sixth grade and 15 year data collections.;As predicted, sleep variables demonstrated changes from sixth grade to 15 years that reflected worsening sleep with decreased sleep durations, increased variability, and increased sleep problems. Earlier pubertal development and greater parental monitoring were related to greater increases in sleep problems, but not other sleep variables. General risk-taking and substance use also increased over the period from sixth grade to 15 years. Greater parental monitoring was predictive of less increase in general risk-taking and substance use behaviors. Pubertal development was not predictive of change in risk-taking.;All of the sleep variables were associated with general risk-taking, but not other risk-taking variables. Parental monitoring, but not pubertal development, moderated the effect of sleep on risk-taking. Executive functioning did not function as a mediator of the relationship between sleep and risk-taking. Impulse control did, however, play a mediating role, partially explaining the effect of sleep on risk-taking behaviors. Developmental systems theory frames the discussion of results, limitations and future directions. |
