Exploring School Climate and Sleep Patterns in Adolescents With and Without ADHD: A Research Summary

Journal of the National Sleep Foundation - Sleep Health - Volume 11, Issue 3 - Pages 249-402, A1-A6 (June 2025) - Read Full Research

A new study published in Sleep Health is shedding light on an overlooked factor that may determine how well teenagers sleep: their school environment. Led by Dr. Joshua Langberg’s former doctoral student, Dr. Dani Green, and former postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Elizabeth Chan, the research underscores the lasting impact of faculty mentorship in driving innovation. Both Green and Chan—now faculty members at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Montclair State University—collaborated with Drs. Langberg and Stephen Becker on this large-scale, longitudinal project funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

Drawing on data from nearly 300 adolescents aged 13 to 15, both with and without ADHD, the study is the first to use a multimethod, multi-informant approach—combining adolescent and parent reports with actigraphy, a wearable sleep-tracking tool—to explore how school climate affects sleep. The findings reveal that a positive school climate, where students feel safe, supported, and connected, is linked to better sleep quality and consistency, especially among teens with ADHD.

The research offers a powerful new perspective on the intersection of education and health. Adolescents with ADHD are known to be at high risk for sleep problems, but the causes have often been framed as individual or biological. This study reframes the issue through a broader, environmental lens, suggesting that what happens during the school day may shape how students rest at night. The results add to growing evidence that supportive, inclusive school climates are not only good for academic outcomes—they may also be key to improving the mental and physical well-being of young people.

(ChatGPT, November 10, 2025)