Modeling micro- versus macro-level processes on the path to common psychiatric disorders: a replication in emerging adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coifman et al. (2021) found that major personal stressors exert stronger effects on psychological risk than work-related potentially traumatizing events in first responders. The current study sought to replicate and extend these findings by testing within-person effects of different stressor types on weekly sleep and risk behaviors, and by modeling how these micro-level processes shape long-term adjustment across the first year of college. DESIGN AND METHODS: First-year college students completed baseline questionnaires and a diagnostic interview, followed by 7 months of once-weekly experience sampling diaries assessing stress, affect, sleep, and behaviors. Follow-up questionnaires were administered at the end of the spring semester. RESULTS: At the within-person level, stressor types showed distinct effects: potentially traumatic events (PTEs) were associated with increases in maladaptive behaviors, whereas daily hassles predicted greater sleep disruption. At the macro level, longer average sleep duration predicted lower substance use and loneliness, while healthy behaviors and positive affect were protective against loneliness. PTEs uniquely predicted greater distress, substance use, and eating disorder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Findings partially replicated prior work. Targeting sleep and risk behaviors may improve adjustment to college.