1119 ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction’: Anxiety Symptoms Mediate the Impact of Romantic Relationships on Undergraduates’ Sleep Quality

Abstract Introduction With 43% of college students obtaining less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night and with over 75% reporting feeling tired/sleepy most days of the week (American College Health Association, 2023), this population is at significant risk for mental health problems (Gaultney, 2010). However, examinations of undergraduate sleep and mental health frequently overlook social factors, like the impact of romantic relationships. As research suggests that relationship stress impairs sleep (Madsen et al., 2023), the current study sought to examine the prospective impact of undergraduates’ romantic relationship satisfaction on their mental well-being and sleep quality. Methods The current sample of undergraduates in romantic relationships (N=136, 77.0% female, Mlength=1.7 years) had a mean age of 19.9 years (SD=1.9). Approximately 65.7% of participants were white, with 20.0% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5.1% Hispanic/Latinx, 2.1% Black, and 7.2% multi-racial/ “other.” At baseline, participants reported on relationship satisfaction (CSI-4). To prospectively assess both levels of general anxiety (GAD-2) and sleep quality (“How well did you sleep last night?”), students reported on these constructs across the subsequent week via a daily diary. Results To more accurately examine the indirect effects of undergraduates’ romantic satisfaction on their sleep quality, we controlled for the impact of participant sex, age, pre-bedtime screen usage, and sleep duration. Our results demonstrated that anxiety symptoms mediated the link between students’ romantic relationship satisfaction and sleep quality (effect=.101; 95% CI[.0113, 2.00]. Specifically, lower levels of romantic satisfaction significantly predicted higher average levels of anxiety symptoms (beta=-.32, p<.01), and, higher anxiety symptoms, in turn, predicted lower mean levels of sleep quality (beta=-.31, p<.01). Conclusion Our results highlight the potential impact of undergraduates’ romantic relationships on their well-being and sleep quality. Given the significant links amongst these constructs, understanding dissatisfaction in undergraduates’ romantic relationships offers critical opportunities to enhance both their mental and sleep health. Support (if any)