Examining the association between perceived racism and sleep quality: The mediating role of rumination.

OBJECTIVES

Sleep problems and disorders are associated with various health problems, such as heart disease and cancer. Black Americans report higher rates of poor sleep quality and health disorders than other racial and ethnic groups. Research suggests perceived racism can influence sleep difficulties; however, the mechanisms connecting racism to sleep difficulties are not fully understood. Rumination, a form of perseverative cognition in which individuals repeatedly focus on negative emotions and their causes and consequences, can affect sleep quality. This cross-sectional study examined whether brooding and reflection rumination explained the relation between perceived racism and sleep quality among Black American college students.

METHOD: Participants (n = 215), ranging in age from 18 to 53, completed The Schedule of Stressful Racist Events, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Ruminative Responses Scale.

RESULTS

We found that perceived racism predicted both forms of rumination. Notably, however, only the brooding form of rumination was significantly associated with sleep quality, with higher levels predicting poorer sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that a particular form of rumination, when used as a coping response in the context of racism, may be associated with sleep difficulties. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).