The effects of social environmental perceptions and psychological adaptation factors on college students' sleep quality: Evidence from psychological network and pathway analysis

Abstract Background During the transition to emerging adulthood, college students face significant social adaptation challenges that can severely impair their sleep quality. Aims This study investigated the associations among social environmental perceptions, psychological adaptation, and sleep quality. Materials & Methods Utilizing a sample of 733 college students, we employed both psychological network and path analyses. Results Network analysis revealed that state anxiety, social interaction deficiencies, and hypercompetitive attitudes showed relatively high cross‐domain connectivity. Path analysis further demonstrated that hypercompetitive attitudes and interpersonal distress were indirectly associated with sleep problems through state anxiety. Psychological resilience was independently associated with sleep problems but did not moderate the association between state anxiety and sleep problems. Conclusion These findings highlight the importance of improving interpersonal dynamics, fostering adaptive competitive attitudes, and building psychological resilience to promote sleep quality among college students.