Work

The relationship between sleep problems and well-being among Chinese children: a moderated mediation model with anxiety as mediator and resilience as moderator

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective Prior research has shown that well-being is a key factor in children’s developmental outcomes. However, the factors that relate to children’s well-being are still unclear, especially among Chinese populations. This research investigated the relationship between sleep problems and the well-being of children in China, specifically testing (1) whether sleep problems were associated with well-being, (2) whether anxiety may serve as a mediator, and (3) whether resilience may moderate this association. Methods A total of 606 Chinese children (53.3% girls; mean age = 11.09 years) participated in the present study using a cross-sectional design by completing self-report instruments, including the Athens Insomnia Scale, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, the Anxiety subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Pearson correlations and a moderated mediation analysis using PROCESS Model 58 with 5,000 bootstrap samples were conducted, controlling for age. Results (1) There was a significant negative correlation between sleep problems and well-being ( r = −0.39, p < 0.001). (2) After controlling for age, anxiety mediated this association. (3) Resilience moderated this association. Specifically, the indirect effect was stronger in the high-resilience group (indirect effect = −0.15, 95% CI = [−0.23, −0.08]) than in the low-resilience group (indirect effect = −0.05, 95% CI = [−0.09, −0.03]). Conclusion These findings provide preliminary evidence on how sleep problems are associated with well-being among Chinese children. They also suggest that anxiety and resilience may be relevant for future intervention studies, although longitudinal and experimental designs are needed to test whether targeting these factors can improve mental health.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1900442

Authors: Junfeng Ding, Xinhua Hou, Guiping Dou

Institution: Zhoukou Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Sleep and related disorders

Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801