Neural Correlates of Self-regulation on Academic Functioning
Condition: Self-Control
MeSH terms: Problem Behavior
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      The main objectives of the study include: 1. What are the differences in self-regulation and
      its neurophysiological and neuroanatomical correlates between college students with poor and
      excellent sleep functioning? 2. Does sleep functioning (assessed both by questionnaires and
      actigraphy), and self-control/self-regulation (questionnaire and imaging data) predict
      academic achievement and problem behaviors in college students?
    

Detailed description: 
      Based on the Self-Control Theory, individual differences in characteristics such as
      impulsivity, risk-seeking, and self-regulation consistently predict health-compromising and
      problem behaviors as well as academic functioning and success in adolescents and young
      adults.[1] Although suboptimal self-regulation is normative in adolescence and young
      adulthood, [2] it might result in negative consequences for adolescents' and young adults'
      health and well-being, including substance use, school/college dropout, or troubles with law.
      A recent line of research suggested that self-regulation problems are associated with
      insufficient and poor sleep.[3] As adolescents and young adults frequently report poor sleep
      functioning,[4] their self-regulation abilities might be further compromised by unfavorable
      sleep functioning with consequences for youths' problem behaviors and academic success. To
      mitigate this problem, some efforts have followed to ensure that adolescents get enough
      quality sleep (e.g., delayed school start times). However, the associations between sleep
      functioning, self-regulation, academic functioning, and problem behaviors were established
      predominantly using questionnaire data. Neurophysiological correlates of these associations
      have not been extensively studied. In the proposed study, this gap in scholarship will be
      addressed by linking sleep functioning to self-regulation indicated by neuropsychological and
      neuroanatomical data, and predicting academic achievement and problem behaviors with sleep
      and self-regulation. This explorative, pilot study is a first step in efforts to understand
      the issue; it will be carried out with a college student sample (N = 48, 50% female) which
      will also have implications for future research focused on adolescents (middle and high
      school students). Pilot data will inform the development of a larger study that will include
      adolescents (middle and high school students) and will support grant applications. Results
      will have a potential for prevention /intervention programs and policy targeting youth, such
      as school start times setting. This study will be carried out as a collaboration between the
      Department of Family Sciences at the University of Kentucky and the Department of Human
      Development and Family Studies at the Texas Tech University. Data will be collected following
      the same procedures described in this application both at the University of Kentucky and
      Texas Tech campuses. Research team at the Texas Tech University has submitted their own
      Institutional Review Board (IRB) application that is now being reviewed.
    

Intervention name(s): Deception
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants will be deceived during delayed gratification task.
Observational model: Ecologic or Community
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        The study sample will consist of 24 healthy college students (12 males and 12 females)
        between ages 18 - 24 years.
      
Keywords: Sleep; Academic functioning; Problem behaviors; College age youth; Self-regulation