The concurrent and longitudinal impact of sleep on mind wandering in early adolescents

Abstract Mind wandering refers to task‐unrelated thoughts that can interfere with ongoing tasks and could be sleep‐driven across childhood. The present study investigated the mechanisms of the association between early adolescents' sleep and mind wandering with emotional symptoms and executive function as potential mediators. A total of 257 early adolescents (baseline aged 9–13 years old; 131 boys) completed the questionnaires consisting of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, mind wandering, depression and anxiety symptoms, and executive function. Cross‐sectional and longitudinal data revealed a sequential mediation pathway of emotional symptoms and executive function in the association between sleep and mind wandering. The mediating effect of emotional symptoms in the link between sleep quality and mind wandering was significant among boys but not girls.