Date Approved

2026

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department or School

Psychology

Committee Member

Angela D. Staples, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jamie M. Lawler, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Jin Bo, Ph.D.

Abstract

Background: Inhibitory control (IC) is fundamental to academic achievement and mental health, yet limited research examines how modifiable environmental factors influence neural substrates of IC in early childhood. Sleep regulation and adversity may shape IC development through experiential canalization processes. Objective: The Sleep, Inhibition, and Performance (SIP) study investigates how sleep characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES), and stress predict neural markers of inhibitory control in children aged 5-8 using event-related potentials (ERPs). Methods: Twenty children were enrolled in this study, which assessed sleep assessment via actigraphy, sleep diaries, and questionnaires. SES and stress were measured through caregiver reports. IC was assessed with a continuous 64-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) recording during an auditory oddball-Go/No-Go task. Primary outcomes included No-Go P3 amplitude and latency at fronto-central sites. Analysis: Due to EEG data loss, 13 participants were retained for electrophysiological analyses. Given the reduced sample size, planned multiple regression analyses were replaced with Kendall's tau correlations, and all findings are interpreted as preliminary and exploratory. Results: Higher perceived SES was associated with larger P3 amplitudes and shorter latencies, suggesting more efficient inhibitory processing. Longer sleep onset latency was associated with smaller P3 amplitudes and longer latencies. Stressful life events showed minimal associations with ERP components.

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