Mental Health Symptoms Linked to Poor Sleep

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH ARTICLE CRITIQUE

Quantitative Research Article Critique

Sleep in a Large, Multi-University Sample of College Students: Sleep Problem Prevalence, Sex Differences, and Mental Health Correlates

The article title indicates what the study\\\\\\\'s focus is, and the critical variables of the study have been mentioned. The study population is shown in the title, and the study subjects\\\\\\\' size is suggested in the title. From the abstract, one can deduce further information about the study like the actual number of study participants, the methods used to conduct the study, the problem the authors wanted to research, the results of the study, and conclusions made by the authors. These are vital as they give a reader a basis of what the article is about and if it is viable for the purpose one wants to research. The abstract for this article is succinct and clear. The article focuses on describing sleep problems in a multi-university sample of college students, evaluating sex differences, and examining unique associations with mental health symptoms.

Statement of the problem

The problem being focused on in the study is unambiguously stated in the introduction. Becker et al. (2018) wanted to determine if specific mental health symptoms are closely associated with college students\\\\\\\' sleep components or total sleep. The study focuses on depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The authors have noted there are numerous studies that have focused on sleep patterns for college students. However, none of the existing studies have examined the associations of depression, anxiety, and ADHD symptoms in college students. Therefore, Becker et al. (2018) have demonstrated what has been covered and the topics previously studied, showing what is there and what is lacking. Nursing will benefit from the study as the field will better understand how the sleep patterns of college students have a direct impact on their mental health. Mental health is a concerning subject in many healthcare spheres, and increasing knowledge on this topic will assist in developing evidence-based strategies for combatting the issues. Becker et al. (2018) have used a quantitative approach for the study since they were using self-administered questionnaires. The data collection method is appropriate for this study since it allows the subjects to answer the questions without fear as they are alone.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis of the study is indicated in the article. From the hypothesis stated by Becker et al. (2018), the reader will understand what the authors would like to uncover and what they expect their results to be. The study population is noted in the hypothesis, which is college students, and the authors have indicated the critical variable they will focus on in the study. From the literature review, it is clear what the authors want to achieve, which aligns with the hypothesis they have developed (Becker et al., 2018).

Literature Review

The authors have managed to demonstrate what is covered in the topic in their literature review. There is lacking information showing the need for the current study. There are disparities in the populations studied in the past, which is why the authors opted to have a large study population for their present study (Becker et al., 2018). To justify and have a representative population, the authors needed to increase the number of people under investigation and incorporate different universities in their research. Based on the literature review the authors have conducted, it is clear there is information lacking, making the current study necessary and forming the basis for the present study. The sources used for the analysis in the literature review are current and mostly primary sources.

Conceptual/Theoretical Framework

There is no clear indication of a theoretical or conceptual framework in the study, and the authors have not justified its absence. Becker et al. (2018) have described the concepts adequately they are studying, like ADHD and sleep patterns. These have concisely been described, and the expected outcomes from the study were noted. Since the survey was conducted in six different universities, the authors ensured they received local Institutional Review Board approval at each university before beginning the study. Students were alerted of the research, and information was shared with them on the intention. Participation was voluntary, and the requirement was for students who were aged 18 years and above. The study design ensured there were minimal risks to the students since they were to complete the survey alone without the researchers\\\\\\\' intervention. The students\\\\\\\' privacy was guaranteed, and the study outcomes would benefit the students to discover how they can overcome mental health issues.

Research Design

Considering the large population the authors wanted to study, the study\\\\\\\'s design was the best possible they could use to ensure they capture the responses from all the students. The authors used survey validity checks and statistical analyses to enhance the interpretability of the study findings. By using instructional manipulation check (IMC), the authors ensured the respondents read the questions before providing an answer (Becker et al., 2018). Therefore, the responses they received were genuine, and students took their time to answer each question. The IMC inserts a question similar to the others in length and structure, but the students are advised to ignore the question or click on a particular answer. Using IMC, the authors could determine the students who were reading and each question before answering and those who were just answering. The study\\\\\\\'s validity was ensured by following these strategies since the authors used self-reporting questionnaires to capture data for the study.

Population and Sample

The study had a population of 7,626 students. Female students comprised 70% of the people, White 81%, and non-Hispanic 91%. A majority of the study participants were in their first year of college (Becker et al., 2018). The age of the study participants was between 18 and 29 years. The study population was derived from six universities in the United States, with only one of the universities being private. All the universities were located in the Midwest, West, and South regions of the United States. Considering a majority of the study respondents were female and non-Hispanic, the study did not minimize biases in its population. The large sample size is adequate for the study. However, with one gender being overly represented, it becomes hard to generalize the study results to the population.

The methodology used for capturing data for the study was efficient and allowed for easy data collection. Self-administered questionnaires reduce the need for the researchers to physically ask the questions and make it easy for the respondents to answer the questions. However, there is a high likelihood of respondents only skimming through the questions and providing answers without reading the question. With this in mind, the Authors opted to use IMC, which incorporates a trick question to determine if the respondent was reading the questions or merely answering.

The instruments used for data collections have been adequately defined. The authors made use of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) (Becker et al., 2018). These instruments have been adequately defined, and the use for each instrument is indicated. PSQI has nine items that assess seven validated components of sleep. The authors used this tool to gauge the student\\\\\\\'s sleep patterns, sleep quality, sleep duration, and sleep disturbance. All aspects of sleep can be measured using this tool. The BAARS-IV was used to assess ADHD symptoms. The DASS-21 was used to evaluate internalizing symptoms.

The first step was to analyze the PSQI variables using descriptive statistics. The authors used t-tests to compares participants classified as good vs. poor sleepers. The second step was determining if there was any difference between male and female students sleeping patterns. The authors conducted structural regression analyses to examine independent associations of ADHD-HI, ADHD-IN, depressive and anxiety symptoms related to sleep (Becker et al., 2018). The authors used appropriate methods to measure the data and interpret the results from the investigations conducted.

Findings

The study\\\\\\\'s findings are well articulated, with the findings being presented based on the three objectives of the study. The first is rates of sleep problems, and the second is sex difference in sleep and the correlation between mental health symptoms and sleep. Using these key objectives, the authors present what was uncovered from their data and relate it to their purpose. The use of tables has enhanced the readability of the data making it easy to understand the study results. The authors have used a minimalist approach to present the critical data in text and most of the data in tables. There is sufficient information to support EBP in the study. Therefore, one can use this study to encourage the development of interventions or procedures to improve the mental health of college students by encouraging them to improve their sleep patterns.

Discussion

The authors have started their discussion by indicating the importance of the study. According to the authors, the study will increase the literature on college students\\\\\\\' sleep patterns. The authors have noted how using a large sample size will increase the generalizability of the study. However, the note that due to the study having a high number of female students, the results could be skewed towards the female gender. Poor sleep was closely associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. ADHD-IN was related to poor sleep quality and increased daytime dysfunction, while ADHD-HI was associated with sleep disturbances and had minor daytime dysfunction. The authors noted it is vital to analyze the dimensions of mental health together since they are strongly associated with each other.