Epidemiological study of self‐reported sleep problems in T urkish high school adolescents

Background The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency and correlates of a variety of sleep problems in adolescents. Methods A representative school‐based sample of 3485 8th–12th graders was selected according to the cluster sampling technique. A sleep questionnaire and the S trengths and D ifficulties Q uestionnaire were completed by the students along with their parents. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent variables of insomnia, parasomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness ( EDS ). Results Initiation insomnia, maintenance insomnia, non‐restorative sleep ( NRS ) and EDS were described by 12.4%, 10.7%, 9% and 9.7%, respectively. At least one parasomnia with a frequency above the median was reported by 23.4% (nightmare, 12.8%; sleep terror, 3.6%; sleepwalking, 2.5%; bruxism, 2.5%; and sleep talking, 10.9%). Insomnias and parasomnias were highly associated with each other. Female gender was related to maintenance insomnia, NRS and night terror. Emotional problems correlated with initiation insomnia, maintenance insomnia, NRS , EDS , nightmares and bruxism; hyperactivity/inattention with initiation insomnia, NRS and sleep talking. Conduct problems were associated with NRS , whereas poor school performance was associated with initiation insomnia. Conclusion Self‐reported sleep problems were prevalent and highly associated with each other and behavioral and emotional difficulties in T urkish adolescents.