1 How Does Pre-Sleep Usage of LED Screen Technology Affect Sleeping Behavior and Academic Achievement? A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In the Department of Educational Studies College of Education, Criminal Justice, & Human Services by Jessica L. Kestler MS, Ohio University, 2010 BS, Ohio University, 2008 Committee: Linda Plevyak, PhD, Chair Anna F. DeJarnette, PhD Ellen Lynch, PhD 2 Abstract The use of LED technology before bedtime reawakens the brain due to the blue light that emulates daylight. This delays sleep onset causing sleep deprivation, which affects academic achievement for college students. To date, no current studies explore how all three variables are influenced by one another. College students (n =151; mean age= 20.35) were recruited to complete a weekly sleep journal to determine the impact that usage of LED technology has on sleep and the resulting influence on academic achievement. Participants also completed existing measurement questionnaires (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS], Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire [MSLQ], & 3x2 Achievement Goal Theory [AGT]) to assess how sleep deprivation influences daytime sleepiness and motivational strategies for mastery learning and achievement goals. Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) was first conducted to test whether parametric and non- parametric statistics were more applicable for the data. Then, partial least squares structure equation modeling software “SmartPLS”, was used to perform path analysis to examine the significance of the stated hypotheses. Most notably, results indicated that students who reported increased usage of LED light technology before bed reported increased time falling asleep and decreased total sleep duration. Increased focus during and outside of class was significantly positively associated with longer sleep duration and lower levels of LED technology usage before bed, but no significance was found between sleep duration and other academic achievement measures (i.e., MSLQ and AGT). Finally, no significance was found between time falling asleep and sleep duration. Collectively, these findings suggest that increased usage of LED technology before bed increases time to fall asleep, and students who reported increased academic achievement (focus) in 3 school also reported a decreased usage of LED technology before bed and increased sleep duration. 4 Copyright 2017 Jessica L. Kestler 5 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I want to thank my family for the many years of selfless support, lengthy phone calls, financial assistance, and the ability to still love me the exact same despite my unending complaints. Your unconditional love has become a stable pillar for me over the years, and without each of you, I am certain I would not be who I am or achieve what I have thus far in life. To my parents, Gene and Cindy, never in my wildest dreams could I ever envision a better mom and dad. Thank you for letting your little girl take her time in life, for not rushing me, letting me dream big, and always believing in me. To Nicole and Jacob, thank you for continuing to remain the best role models of my life. I am confident I will never stop trying to make you both proud. I love you all more than I am ever able to describe in words. Thank you for absolutely everything. To Dr. Kelli Jette, for being my best friend, mentor, and advocate the last several years. I remain forever grateful for your unfailing drive to support me in any way I ever needed without any hesitation. You are one of the most genuine and selfless people I have ever known and I am so incredibly blessed you were brought into my life. You are truly a rare gift that keeps on giving and I continue to learn from you every day. Thank you. To my committee members, Dr. Linda Plevyak, Dr. Ellen Lynch, and Dr. Anna DeJarnette, I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to work with such an incredibly dynamic group of women. You each took a chance on me during a time in my doctoral career when I was struggling the most, and in return, the depth of what I have learned from each of you goes far beyond the content of my dissertation. I may never be able to adequately express the gratitude I have in each of your abilities to challenge me in becoming a better writer, student, and person. To other faculty members and mentors who have provided me insight and wisdom, while offering me new opportunities over the years outside of the classroom. Thank you in particular to Dr. Jim Eliasson, Dr. Rhonda Brown, Dr. Connie Kendall-Theado, Dr. Chris Swoboda, Dr. Laura Nabors, and Dr. Marcus Johnson. To Dr. Jacinda Dariotis, thank you for helping me restructure my participant survey- several times over. Your expertise and patience allowed me to learn from you and collect better data than I ever could have otherwise. To all my doctoral friends and colleagues, thank you for writing with me, having a listening ear, providing kind words of advice, and making me laugh. Thank you in particular to Stephanie Talbot, Dr. Alan Wight, Dr. Melissa Dejonckheere, Dr. Nicole Hammons, Dr. Amy Rector-Aranda, and Dr. Peggy Shannon-Baker. There are no right words that can ever adequately describe the struggles, joys, sacrifices, achievements, life changes, and heartbreaks you experience throughout the entire duration of a doctoral program. To every person who believed in me, prayed for me, and never gave up on me- thank you. I finally completed my dissertation. 6 Table of Contents List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 10 List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 12 Statement of Problem .................................................................................................... 14 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 14 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................... 15 Assumptions .................................................................................................................. 15 Limitations .................................................................................................................... 16 Operational Definition of Terms ................................................................................... 16 Literature Review.............................................................................................................. 24 Technology ....................................................................................................................... 24 Smartphones .................................................................................................................. 26 Laptops and Computers ................................................................................................ 29 Tablets ........................................................................................................................... 30 Television ...................................................................................................................... 34 Sleep Deprivation.............................................................................................................. 37 REM Sleep .................................................................................................................... 39 Light Emitting Diodes................................................................................................... 42 Melatonin suppression. ............................................................................................. 43 Academic Achievement .................................................................................................... 45 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 50 Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................... 51 7 Sleep .................................................................................................................................. 53 Sleepiness Scales .......................................................................................................... 53 Epworth Sleepiness Scale ............................................................................................. 55 Somnificity ........................................................................................................................ 57 Situational Sleep Propensity ......................................................................................... 60 Excessive Daytime Sleepiness .......................................................................................... 61 Sleep Disorders ............................................................................................................. 62 Sleep Stages ...................................................................................................................... 63 LED Light Technology ................................................................................................