DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/V2DH-QM75
Defense Date
2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Natalie D. Dautovich, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Suzanne E. Mazzeo, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Patricia A. Kinser, Ph.D.
Abstract
Midlife women are vulnerable to developing obesity. Both sleep timing and negative emotion are risk factors, yet limited research has explored their role on weight outcomes in this population. The current investigation explored the association of sleep timing (i.e., mean sleep time, sleep time variability) and obesity (i.e., BMI, waist circumference) in midlife women, considering emotional pathways (i.e., depressive symptoms, anger) that might mediate this association. PROCESS parallel mediation models assessed direct and indirect pathways. In follow-up analyses, sleep duration was explored as an indirect pathway linking sleep timing to obesity. Results demonstrated that sleep timing does not directly predict obesity. Emotion was also not a significant indirect pathway. Conversely, sleep duration emerged as an indirect link in the sleep timing and obesity association. Future work is needed to further disentangle the impact of sleep on weight in midlife women using prospective, well-controlled studies, implementing daily assessments of sleep behavior.
Rights
© Dana R. Schreiber
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
1-20-2017