Date of Award

1-2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department/Program

Psychology

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Kenneth Sumner

Committee Member

Christopher Donoghue

Committee Member

Kevin Askew

Abstract

This study was part of a larger and ongoing research effort involving the investigation of aggression, socioeconomic status, student productivity, social functioning, sleep patterns, school environment, and academic achievement in 892 high-school adolescents. The present study specifically examines potential psycho-physiological, environmental, and habitual predictors of adolescent academic achievement and academic investment. Students were assessed on various dimensions including instances of insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep hygiene; and attributes such as demographics, academic investment, and GPA. It was hypothesized that participants’ levels of sleep disturbances, would in turn significantly predict grade point averages. Furthermore, it was believed that sleep quality, measured via reported sleep disturbance scores, would significantly predict a student’s degree of academic investment. Lastly, rates of electronics usage just prior to bedtime would significantly predict students’ reported GPA’s, in addition to their self-reported levels of academic investment. Results of the study confirmed three of the four experimental hypotheses. Greater quantities of student sleep disturbances was significantly predictive of lower academic investment levels; more frequent usage of Electronics at Sleep Onset was significantly predictive of lower reported GPA’s, and more frequent usage of Electronics at Sleep Onset was significantly predictive of lower academic investment levels.

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