The Role of Sleep Quality in Academic Performance: A Multivariate Analysis of Stress, Screen Time, and Physical Activity

Abstract

Academic performance is a complex and multifaceted concept encompassing psychological, behavioral, and lifestyle components. The current study investigates the relations between sleep quality, stress, screen time, and physical activity with regard to predicting academic performance of students. Furthermore, it examines the role of sleep quality in mediating stress, screen time, and academic performance. The study adopted a cross-sectional design in collecting the data from the students using standardized questionnaires about sleep quality, stress levels, screen time, physical activity, and academic performance. In the correlation analysis, poor sleep quality showed significant correlation with lower academic performance (r = -0.45, p < 0.001) and high stress (r = -0.50, p < 0.001). Stress (r = -0.30, p < 0.001) and screen time (r = -0.25, p < 0.001) also exhibited negative correlation with academic performance, while physical activity showed a positive correlation (r = 0.20, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that stress (B = -0.42, p < 0.001), sleep quality (B = -0.35, p < 0.001), and screen time (B = -0.28, p = 0.001) are negative predictors of academic performance, and physical activity (B = 0.25, p = 0.002) is a positive predictor. It was established by the mediating analysis that sleep quality may have played a partial role in mediating the relations between stress and academic performance (B = -0.28, p < 0.001) and between screen time and academic performance (B = -0.17, p < 0.001). The study highlights sleep quality as one of the critical factors influencing academic performance, thus functioning as a major mediator in the negative impacts of stress and screen time. Stress management strategies and increased screen exposure should be approached with care, coupled with stress management strategies, for improved student success. Physical activity may act as a buffer against negative sleep quality and stress.