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The Effect of Sleep Quality on Students’ Academic Achievement [Response to Letter]

Authors Jalali R , Khazaie H, Khaledi Paveh B, Hayrani Z , Menati L

Received 19 August 2020

Accepted for publication 19 August 2020

Published 3 September 2020 Volume 2020:11 Pages 609—610

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S277808



Rostam Jalali,1 Habibolah Khazaie,2 Behnam Khaledi Paveh,1 Zinab Hayrani,1 Lida Menati1

1Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 2Sleep Disorders Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

Correspondence: Rostam Jalali
Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Email [email protected]

I read the letter from the students of the University of Manchester entitled “Medical Students’ Perspective on the Effect of Sleep Quality on Academic Performance.” I thank them for their attention and I wish that our students grew up with critical thinking.

 

View the original paper by Jalali and colleagues

 

This is in response to the Letter to the Editor

 

Dear editor

I read the letter from the students of the University of Manchester entitled “Medical Students’ Perspective on the Effect of Sleep Quality on Academic Performance.” I thank them for their attention and I wish that our students grew up with critical thinking.

Turning to their views on the article by me and my colleagues,1 I want to clarify that several studies are done on the relationship between sleep quality and academic achievement, including systematic reviews and meta-analysis.2,3 In the studies, correlation have been studied from different aspects, taking into account confounding variables such as age,4 although there is still no definite answer as to whether these two variables are related or not.5 In the present study,1 the authors intended to respond to these controversy views by using a type of sampling in qualitative research named purposeful sampling with maximum variation. We assumed that if sleep quality was the main variable and predictor of academic success, students (regardless of field of study, semester, and gender) with better academic performance (based on grade point average) should have lower sleep quality scores (better sleep quality). Conversely, students with lower academic performance have higher sleep quality scores while no correlation was found. However, for better commentary, a more accurate answer can be obtained by using interventional and longitudinal studies with appropriate sample size and eliminating confounding variables. However, academic achievement and sleep quality are both composite variables and several factors are involved in their formation as well as their relationship, so any claim must be taking into account all those variables.

Finally, this study has no other claim than what is concluded in conclusion section, and also longitudinal studies are recommended. This study intended to answer the question of the relationship between sleep quality and academic achievement and intended to shed light on this ambiguity from another aspect.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in this communication.

References

1. Jalali R, Khazaie H, Paveh BK, Hayrani Z, Menati L. The effect of sleep quality on students’ academic achievement. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2020;11:497–502. doi:10.2147/AMEP.S261525

2. Suardiaz-Muro M, Morante-Ruiz M, Ortega-Moreno M, Ruiz MA, Martín-Plasencia P, Vela-Bueno A. [Sleep and academic performance in university students: a systematic review]. Rev Neurol. 2020;71(2):43–53. doi:10.33588/rn.7102.2020015. Spanish.

3. Seoane HA, Moschetto L, Orliacq F, et al. Sleep disruption in medicine students and its relationship with impaired academic performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2020;53:101333. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101333

4. Luqman R, Ghous M, Nawaz J, Ali A, Kanwal M, Yaqoob I. Factors associated with sleep deprivation and their impact on academic performance of hostelites of twin cities of Pakistan. J Pak Med Assoc. 2020;70(5):851–855. doi:10.5455/JPMA.16468

5. Sweileh WM, Ali IA, Sawalha AF, Abu-Taha AS, Zyoud SH, Al-Jabi SW. Sleep habits and sleep problems among Palestinian students. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2011;5(1):25. doi:10.1186/1753-2000-5-25

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