A - 50 Menstruation Problems and Sleep Interactions: Implications for the Mental Health of Adolescent Females

Abstract Objective Adolescent females frequently experience internalizing symptoms like sadness and anxiety during this developmental period of hormonal, emotional, and sleep changes. However, the interaction between sleep, menstruation-related challenges, and internalizing symptoms is not currently understood. Methods Data from 2814 postmenarcheal female adolescents (Year 3, Mean-age = 13.03, [12–15] years) in the ABCD Study® were analyzed. Internalizing symptom scores were obtained from the Brief Problem Monitor and menstrual cycle characteristics were obtained from a customized questionnaire. The Munich Chronotype Questionnaire measured sleep duration and bedtime. Linear mixed-effect models explored the relationship between menstrual problems, sleep, and internalizing symptoms, with covariates including time since menarche, body mass index, parental education, and socio-demographic factors. Results Among adolescent females, greater internalizing problems were associated with menstrual cycle irregularity (p