PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

Introduction: Adolescence is characterized as a time of increased stress experiences and sleep disorders. Previous studies showed that both difficulties are linked to mental health. However, these findings are mostly based on subjective methods. Therefore, in this study, we investigate if the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA) level and sleep disturbances are associated with mental health problems. Method: 175 adolescents (M = 14.3 years, SD = 1.8, 55% female) participated in the Trier Social Stress Test, where the HPA activity was captured by the salivary cortisol level at six time points. The area under the curve with respect to the ground (AUC-g) was calculated, indicating the overall cortisol response during the experimental situ- ation. Additionally, the subjective stress level (Adolescent Stress Questionnaire), sleep disturbances (Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children), and psychological difficulties (DISYPS-III Screening) were assessed by questionnaires in the self-report. Two multiple hierarchical regressions tested if (a) the cortisol level and (b) the perceived stress level along with sleep disturbances predict mental health problems, while the models were adjusted for age and gender. Results: The results showed that both, the cortisol level as well as the subjective stress level, significantly predicted mental health problems. Sleep disturbances were also an independent significant predictor besides the stress components. Conclusion: Adolescents experiencing increased stress levels, indi- cated by a high HPA activity and subjective stress levels, are at higher risk for having mental health problems. High psychological stress levels and poor sleep are thereby independent risk factors. This emphasizes the need to address coping-skills, relaxation, and sleep improving cognitive and behavior techniques in interventions for mental health in this age group