The Interactive Effect of Positive Mental Health and Subjective Sleep Quality on Depressive Symptoms in High School Students

ABSTRACT

Objective/Background: The objective of this study was to observe the effect of positive mental health (PMH) and subjective sleep quality (SQ) on depressive symptoms in high school students. Participants: This cross-sectional study evaluated 2,186 students (55% female and 45% male) with a mean age of 16.8 years (SD ± 0.7) at 20 private high schools in Mexico City. Methods: An electronic survey was used, which included a questionnaire on sleep habits that is a Spanish-language adaptation of Rosenthal’s Sleep-Wake Activity Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Morningness-Eveningness Scale for Children and Adolescents (MESC), the combined scales to evaluate positive aspects of mental health, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ–9). Results: Main and interaction effects of PMH and SQ were observed, demonstrating that students with high-PMH (p ≤ .0001) or good-SQ (p ≤ .0001) had fewer depressive symptoms. Thus, the students with both high-PMH and good-SQ had the lowest depressive symptomatology (p ≤ .01). Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are associated with a combination of sleep quality and positive mental health.

Acknowledgments

To Jenyfer Palencia-Sierra, Fernanda Talayero-García and Tania García-Corona, for her support in conducting the study.