• Joseph M Dzierzewski, Scott G Ravyts, Natalie D Dautovich, Elliottnell Perez, Dana Schreiber, and Bruce D Rybarczyk.
• Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
• J Clin Psychol. 2020 Oct 1; 76 (10): 1972-1983.

ObjectiveRacial disparities in sleep may be consequential among college students given high rates of dysfunctional sleep among this population. The present study sought to investigate whether disparities in sleep explain existing mental health disparities.MethodData included secondary analysis of a college risk behaviors and health study (n = 1242, mean age = 18.5). Race was dichotomized as White or Black, excluding all others, with participants completing measures of sleep at baseline and measures of depression and anxiety at follow-up 1 to 2 years later.ResultsCompared to White students, Black students were more likely to report lower rates of depression and anxiety, but poorer sleep outcomes. Mediation analyses revealed that sleep partially mediated (suppressed) the association between race and depressive and anxiety symptoms.ConclusionsResults indicate that disparities in sleep may play an important role in the association between race and mental health symptoms among college students. Future health disparity research would benefit from exploring the potentially bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health symptoms among college students.© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

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