Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health And Human Development (NICHD) Publications

Monograph

El-Sheikh, M., Kouros, C. D., Erath, S., Keller, P., Cummings, E. M., & Staton, L. (2009). Marital conflict and children's externalizing behavior: Interactions between parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system activity. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 74(1, Serial No. 292). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5834.2009.00501.x

Empirical Articles

Erath, S. A., Keller, P. S., Altinoz, Z. S., Philbrook, L. E., & El-Sheikh, M. (2026). Stress and sleep in adolescence: The interactive effects of skin conductance level reactivity and parental psychological control. Developmental Psychobiology, 68(5), e70202. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.70202

Thompson, M. J., Altinoz, Z. S., Ehrhardt, A. D., Hinnant, J. B., Erath, S. A., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2026). Sleeping through the ages: Developmental trajectories of actigraphy-derived sleep-wake patterns across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Developmental Psychology, 62(11), 2393–2411. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0002170

Thompson, M. J., Ehrhardt, A. D., Kelly, R. J., & El-Sheikh, M. (2026). Adding fuel to the fire: How childhood and adolescent histories of interparental conflict amplify sleep problems during the transition to emerging adulthood. Child Development, 97(4), 1203–1216. https://doi.org/10.1093/chidev/aacag073

Kelly, R. J., Thompson, M. J., & El-Sheikh, M. (2025). Harsh parenting in adolescence and symptoms of depression in emerging adulthood: The moderating role of sleep. Sleep Health, 11(6), 781–790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2025.07.010

McWood, L. M., Erath, S. A., Hinnant, B., & El-Sheikh, M. (2025). Predicting weekday and weekend sleep: Interactions between peers and mothers. Journal of Sleep Research, 34(6), e70014. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.70014

Thompson, M. J., McWood, L. M., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2025). From counting dollars to counting sheep: Exploring simultaneous change in economic well-being and sleep among African American adolescents. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 12(6), 4199–4208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02212-9

Fuller-Rowell, T. E., Zeringue, M. M., Saini, E. K., Yip, T., & El-Sheikh, M. (2024). Do sleep problems exacerbate the mental health consequences of discrimination among adults? Psychosomatic Medicine, 86(4), 324–333. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0000000000001305

Kaeppler, A. K., Erath, S. A., Hinnant, J. B., & El-Sheikh, M. (2024). Coping responses in the context of family stress moderate the association between childhood anxiety and adolescent depressive symptoms. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 52(3), 429–441. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-023-01135-z

Kelly, R. J., Gillis, B. T., & El-Sheikh, M. (2024). Longitudinal relations between interpartner aggression and internalizing symptoms among couples: The moderating role of sleep. Journal of Sleep Research, 33(1), e14013. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.14013

Kelly, R. J., Thompson, M. J., & El-Sheikh, M. (2024). Exposure to parental interpartner conflict in adolescence predicts sleep problems in emerging adulthood. Sleep Health, 10(5), 576–582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2024.06.003

Martín-Piñón, O., McWood, L. M., Erath, S. A., Hinnant, B., & El-Sheikh, M. (2024). Maternal psychological control and adolescent adjustment: Sleep as a moderator. Journal of Sleep Research, 33(1), e13986. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13986

Gillis, B. T., Hinnant, J. B., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2023). Relationship between family income and trajectories of adjustment in adolescence: Sleep and physical activity as moderators. Journal of Adolescence, 95(3), 494–508. https://doi.org/10.1002/jad.12131

McWood, L. M., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2023). Longitudinal associations between coping and peer victimization: Moderation by gender and initial peer victimization. Social Development, 32(1), 117–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12623

Hinnant, J. B., Gillis, B. T., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2022). Onset of substance use: Deviant peer, sex, and sympathetic nervous system predictors. Development and Psychopathology, 34(4), 1506–1515. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579421000158

Kelly, R. J., Zeringue, M. M., & El-Sheikh, M. (2022). Adolescents' sleep and adjustment: Reciprocal effects. Child Development, 93(2), 540–555. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13703

Gillis, B. T., Shimizu, M., Philbrook, L. E., & El-Sheikh, M. (2021). Racial disparities in adolescent sleep duration: Physical activity as a protective factor. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 27(1), 118–122. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000422

Martín-Piñón, O., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2021). Linking autonomic nervous system reactivity with sleep in adolescence: Sex as a moderator. Developmental Psychobiology, 63(4), 650–661. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22041

Philbrook, L. E., Shimizu, M., Erath, S. A., Hinnant, J. B., & El-Sheikh, M. (2021). Longitudinal associations between adolescents' sleep and adjustment: Respiratory sinus arrhythmia as a moderator. Developmental Psychobiology, 63(Suppl. 1), e22220. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22220

Philbrook, L. E., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2020). Community violence concerns and adolescent sleep: Physiological regulation and race as moderators. Journal of Sleep Research, 29(3), e12897. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12897

Philbrook, L. E., Saini, E. K., Fuller-Rowell, T. E., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2020). Socioeconomic status and sleep in adolescence: The role of family chaos. Journal of Family Psychology, 34(5), 577–586. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000636

Shimizu, M., Gillis, B. T., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2020). Linear and nonlinear associations between sleep and adjustment in adolescence. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 18(5), 690–704. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2019.1665049

El-Sheikh, M., Saini, E. K., Gillis, B. T., & Kelly, R. J. (2019). Interactions between sleep duration and quality as predictors of adolescents' adjustment. Sleep Health, 5(2), 180–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2018.11.004

El-Sheikh, M., Shimizu, M., Erath, S. A., Philbrook, L. E., & Hinnant, J. B. (2019). Dynamic patterns of marital conflict: Relations to trajectories of adolescent adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 55(8), 1720–1732. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000746

Gillis, B. T., & El-Sheikh, M. (2019). Sleep and adjustment in adolescence: Physical activity as a moderator of risk. Sleep Health, 5(3), 266–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2019.02.001

Hinnant, J. B., Erath, S. A., Shimizu, M., & El-Sheikh, M. (2019). Parenting, deviant peer affiliation and externalizing behavior during adolescence: Processes conditional on sympathetic nervous system reactivity. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 60(7), 793–802. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13046

Hinnant, J. B., Philbrook, L. E., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2018). Approaches to modeling the development of physiological stress responsivity. Psychophysiology, 55(5), e13027. https://doi.org/10.1111/psyp.13027

Philbrook, L. E., Hinnant, J. B., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2018). Marital conflict and trajectories of adolescent adjustment: The role of autonomic nervous system coordination. Developmental Psychology, 54(9), 1687–1696. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000501

Tu, K. M., Elmore-Staton, L., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2018). The link between maternal sleep and permissive parenting during late adolescence. Journal of Sleep Research, 27(5), e12676. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12676

Tu, K. M., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2017). Parental management of peers and autonomic nervous system reactivity in predicting adolescent peer relationships. Developmental Psychology, 53(3), 540–551. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000248

Bagley, E. J., Tu, K. M., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2016). Community violence concerns and adolescent sleep. Sleep Health, 2(1), 57–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.12.006

El-Sheikh, M., Tu, K. M., Saini, E. K., Fuller-Rowell, T. E., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2016). Perceived discrimination and youths' adjustment: Sleep as a moderator. Journal of Sleep Research, 25(1), 70–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.12333

Hinnant, J. B., Erath, S. A., Tu, K. M., & El-Sheikh, M. (2016). Permissive parenting, deviant peer affiliations, and delinquent behavior in adolescence: The moderating role of sympathetic nervous system reactivity. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44(6), 1071–1081. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-0114-8

Philbrook, L. E., & El-Sheikh, M. (2016). Associations between neighborhood context, physical activity, and sleep in adolescents. Sleep Health, 2(3), 205–210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2016.05.008

Tu, K. M., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2016). Coping responses moderate prospective associations between marital conflict and youth adjustment. Journal of Family Psychology, 30(5), 523–532. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000169

Hinnant, J. B., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2015). Harsh parenting, parasympathetic activity, and development of delinquency and substance use. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 124(1), 137–151. https://doi.org/10.1037/abn0000026

Tu, K. M., Erath, S. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2015). Peer victimization and adolescent adjustment: The moderating role of sleep. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43(8), 1447–1457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-0035-6

El-Sheikh, M., Tu, K. M., Erath, S. A., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2014). Family stress and adolescents' cognitive functioning: Sleep as a protective factor. Journal of Family Psychology, 28(6), 887–896. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000031

El-Sheikh, M., Bub, K. L., Kelly, R. J., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2013). Children's sleep and adjustment: A residualized change analysis. Developmental Psychology, 49(8), 1591–1601. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030223

El-Sheikh, M., Keiley, M., Erath, S., & Dyer, W. J. (2013). Marital conflict and growth in children's internalizing symptoms: The role of autonomic nervous system activity. Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 92–108. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027703

Hinnant, J. B., & El-Sheikh, M. (2013). Codevelopment of externalizing and internalizing symptoms in middle to late childhood: Sex, baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity as predictors. Development and Psychopathology, 25(2), 419–436. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579412001150

Hinnant, J. B., El-Sheikh, M., Keiley, M., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2013). Marital conflict, allostatic load, and the development of children's fluid cognitive performance. Child Development, 84(6), 2003–2014. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12103

Rauer, A. J., & El-Sheikh, M. (2012). Reciprocal pathways between intimate partner violence and sleep in men and women. Journal of Family Psychology, 26(3), 470–477. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027828

Wetter, E. K., & El-Sheikh, M. (2012). Trajectories of children's internalizing symptoms: The role of maternal internalizing symptoms, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and child sex. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53(2), 168–177. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02470.x

Bub, K. L., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2011). Children's sleep and cognitive performance: A cross-domain analysis of change over time. Developmental Psychology, 47(6), 1504–1514. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025535

El-Sheikh, M., Arsiwalla, D. D., Hinnant, J. B., & Erath, S. A. (2011). Children's internalizing symptoms: The role of interactions between cortisol and respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Physiology & Behavior, 103(2), 225–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.02.004

El-Sheikh, M., & Hinnant, J. B. (2011). Marital conflict, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, and allostatic load: Interrelations and associations with the development of externalizing behavior. Development and Psychopathology, 23(3), 815–829. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579411000320

El-Sheikh, M., Hinnant, J. B., & Erath, S. (2011). Developmental trajectories of delinquency symptoms in childhood: The role of marital conflict and autonomic nervous system activity. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 120(1), 16–32. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020626

Erath, S. A., El-Sheikh, M., Hinnant, J. B., & Cummings, E. M. (2011). Skin conductance level reactivity moderates the longitudinal association between harsh parenting and growth in child externalizing behavior. Developmental Psychology, 47(3), 693–706. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021909

Hinnant, J. B., Elmore-Staton, L., & El-Sheikh, M. (2011). Developmental trajectories of respiratory sinus arrhythmia and pre-ejection period in middle childhood. Developmental Psychobiology, 53(1), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.20487

El-Sheikh, M., Keiley, M., & Hinnant, J. B. (2010). Developmental trajectories of skin conductance level in middle childhood: Sex, race, and externalizing behavior problems as predictors of growth. Biological Psychology, 83(2), 116–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2009.11.009

Keller, P. S., El-Sheikh, M., Vaughn, B., & Granger, D. A. (2010). Relations between mucosal immunity and children's mental health: The role of child sex. Physiology & Behavior, 101(5), 705–712. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.08.012

Rauer, A. J., Kelly, R. J., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2010). Sleeping with one eye open: Marital abuse as an antecedent of poor sleep. Journal of Family Psychology, 24(6), 667–677. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021354

Erath, S. A., El-Sheikh, M., & Cummings, E. M. (2009). Harsh parenting and child externalizing behavior: Skin conductance level reactivity as a moderator. Child Development, 80(2), 578–592. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01280.x

El-Sheikh, M., Cummings, E. M., Kouros, C. D., Elmore-Staton, L., & Buckhalt, J. (2008). Marital psychological and physical aggression and children's mental and physical health: Direct, mediated, and moderated effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76(1), 138–148. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.76.1.138

Conceptual Papers, Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Thompson, M. J., Ehrhardt, A. D., Saini, E. K., Brigham, E. F., Altinoz, Z. S., Yip, T., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2026). Unpacking sleep and mental health disparities across childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic and systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 85, 102206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2025.102206

Thompson, M. J., Ehrhardt, A. D., Saini, E. K., Yip, T., Buckhalt, J. A., & El-Sheikh, M. (2025). Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in sleep and cognitive and academic functioning across childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic review. Sleep, 48(10), zsaf166. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsaf166

El-Sheikh, M., Gillis, B. T., Saini, E. K., Erath, S. A., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2022). Sleep and disparities in child and adolescent development. Child Development Perspectives, 16(4), 200–207. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12465

El-Sheikh, M., & Kelly, R. J. (2017). Family functioning and children's sleep. Child Development Perspectives, 11(4), 264–269. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12243

El-Sheikh, M., & Erath, S. A. (2011). Family conflict, autonomic nervous system functioning, and child adaptation: State of the science and future directions. Development and Psychopathology, 23(2), 703–721. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579411000034

Cummings, E. M., El-Sheikh, M., Kouros, C. D., & Buckhalt, J. A. (2009). Children and violence: The role of children's regulation in the marital aggression-child adjustment link. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 12(1), 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-009-0042-7

Book Chapters

El-Sheikh, M., Kelly, R. J., & Philbrook, L. E. (2017). Sleep and development: Familial and socio-cultural considerations. In S. M. McHale, V. King, & O. M. Buxton (Eds.), Family contexts of sleep and health across the life course (pp. 25–49). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64780-7_2

Buckhalt, J. A. (2013). The role of schools in identification, treatment and prevention of sleep problems. In A. R. Wolfson & H. E. Montgomery-Downs (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of infant, child, and adolescent sleep and behavior (pp. 292–301). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199873630.013.0019

El-Sheikh, M., & Kelly, R. J. (2011). Sleep in children: Links with marital conflict and child development. In M. El-Sheikh (Ed.), Sleep and development: Familial and socio-cultural considerations (pp. 3–28). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195395754.003.0001