Scheduled for AAHE Research Coordinating Board: Student Poster Session, Friday, April 11, 2008, 8:45 AM - 10:15 AM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, National Association Poster Sessions


Sleep Habits of NCAA Division II Athletes and Non-Athletes

James J. Pratt, California University of Pennsylvania, Middlebury, CT and Carol M. Biddington, California University of Pennsylvania, Uniontown, PA

Context: Sleep is an important psychological and physiological process that is required for adequate functioning in the everyday life of human beings. Sleep deprivation has been linked to decreases in academic performance, increases in risk-taking behavior, and decreases in athletic performance. Objective: This study examined the sleep habits of NCAA Division II athletes and non-athletes. Sleep deprivation was measured to determine significant differences between gender, and between athlete versus non-athlete status. Design: The design was descriptive survey. Setting: The surveys were completed by the subjects at an NCAA Division II institution in either the varsity weight room, on a court, on a field or in a classroom to ensure that each individual was present with either their respective athletic team or academic class. Participants: Of the 391 subjects surveyed, 250 were athletes and 141 were non-athlete participants. Gender of the participants was 207 male and 184 female. The age of the subjects ranged from 18 to 28 years (19.78 ± 1.56). Height of the subjects ranged from 59 to 80 inches (68.86 ± 4.37). The weight range was 93 to 350 pounds (170.03 ± 45.10). Of the 250 athletes, the current status of sport was examined with 124 (49.6%) in-season and 126 (50.4%) out-of-season. Data Collection and Analysis: The athletes and non-athletes were surveyed by the researcher in their respective meeting places. Out-of-season athletes were surveyed either in the weight room or a team meeting. The in-season athletes were surveyed either in the weight room or at practice. The students were surveyed in health education classes where they met regularly. A 2 x 2 factorial MANOVA with a significance level of a £ .05, was used to determine if there was a difference among the variables. Main Outcome Measures: The dependent variables were scores from the Sleep-Wake Behavior Problems scale and the Daytime Sleepiness scale. Results: Neither the Sleep-Wake Behavior Problems score nor the Daytime Sleepiness score were significantly influenced by Gender (Λ2,386 = .992, P > .05) or Athlete v. Non-athlete (Λ2,386 = .994, P > .05). Conclusions: Men's Basketball, Men's Soccer, and Football had significantly higher DST scores than Men's Cross Country did. Also, out-of-season athletes were found to have higher DST scores than the in-season athletes.
Keyword(s): athletic training, research, sport topics

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