Date Presented 04/06/19
This study aimed to examine the relationship between sensory processing, perceived stress, and sleep quality in graduate students. Results showed that students were moderately stressed. Those who had higher scores in over-responsiveness to auditory, visual, and touch perceived significantly higher stress levels and experienced poor sleep quality. OT educators and practitioners can address sensory processing strategies for reducing perceived stress and improving sleep quality to enhance learning.
Primary Author and Speaker: Megan Chang
Additional Authors and Speakers: Tamara Turner
Contributing Authors: Sarah Kwee, Jennifer Shaul, Tim Stanbach, Julie Stringari
PURPOSE: Stress among graduate students is amplified by conflicting demands unique to this population, which has shown to be highly correlated with poor sleep (Lund, Reider, Whiting, & Prichard, 2010; Offstein, Larson, McNeill, & Mjoni Mwale, 2004). Previous study suggests that sleep quality may be modulated by responses to sensory stimuli among adults aged 18-64 (Chang, Lucey, Hiatt, Guerrero, & Belousov, 2017), and yet there is a scarcity of studies that examine how sensory processing patterns influence stress, coping strategies and sleep quality among graduate students. This study aimed to examine such relationships to inform evidence-based practice in occupational therapy.
METHODS: Cross-sectional survey study design was used, which include four assessments: Adult Sensory Processing Scale (ASPS; Blanche, Parham, Chang, & Mallinson, 2014), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen & Williamson, 1988), Brief COPE Inventory (COPE; Carver, 1997), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; Buysse et.al, 2010). The survey link developed on Qualtrics (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) was distributed to graduate advisors across the country. IBM SPSS and SAS were used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were used to analyze whether sensory processing played a mediating role in the relationship.
RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-one graduate students completed the survey. They represented over 60 college majors, and the majority of them were female (88%) and Caucasian (78%). Fifty-nine percent of them were single and 38% were married or living with a partner. About 1/3 of them were full-time students (36%) and 57% were working. Based on the PSS norm, 99% were moderately stressed while 14% of them perceived high stress levels. Over-responsiveness to auditory, visual, and touch were significantly correlated with higher perceived stress and poor sleep. Additionally, those who had poor sleep quality tended to use negative appraisal to cope with stress, such as denial, substance use, self-blame, and venting. It is worth to note that although 96% of students reported exercising at least once a week, 73% of them had poor sleep quality.
CONCLUSION: Sensory processing patterns play an important role in perceived stress and sleep among graduate students. Those who experienced less stress were apt to practice active coping, positive reframing, and acceptance. Hence, occupational therapy practitioners can utilize these revelations to address sensory processing strategies to reduce perceived stress, and design sleep interventions based on an individual’s sensory responses to improve sleep quality. Occupational therapy educators can develop stress coping strategies to enhance students’ learning experience in order to achieve the ultimate learning environment leading to overall balance and a successful occupational life.
References
Blanche, E. I., Parham, D., Chang, M., & Mallinson, T. (2014). Development of an Adult Sensory Processing Scale (ASPS). The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 531-538. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.012484
Lucey, E., Hiatt, K., Hutter, L., Guerrero, L., Belousov, T., & Chang, M. (2016). The relationship between sensory processing and sleep quality, unpublished manuscript, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
Lund, A. G, Reider, B. D., Whiting A. B., & Prichard J. R. (2010). Sleep patterns and predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(2), 124-132. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.06.016
Offstein, E. H., Larson, M. B., McNeill, A. L., & Mjoni Mwale, H. (2004). Are we doing enough for today's graduate student? International Journal of Educational Management, 18(7), 396-407. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540410563103
