Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Examining The Effects Of Menstrual Cycle Phase And Hormonal Contraceptive Use On Women's Sleep, Charles Ethan Coombs

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Women overrepresent men for sub-optimal sleep, a consequence of hormone fluctuation in the menstrual cycle affecting sleep regulatory pathways. While research has examined the prevalence of sub-optimal sleep through cycle phases, little research has examined how hormonal contraceptives (HC’s) could similarly affect women’s sleep, while also neglecting to utilize subjective sleep measures. In this study, we examine subjective sleep quality among naturally cycling (NC) women, women using different HC types, and between active and inactive phase pill users by subjecting 463 women to a subjective sleep battery. We hypothesized that HC users would report more sub-optimal sleep than NC women. …

The Effectiveness Of Weighted Blankets As A Sleep Promoting Behavior: A Quasi -Experimental Study, Irish Amalia, Sali R. Asih, Inge U. Wiswanti, Ina Saraswati

Psychological Research on Urban Society

Sleep is crucial to the overall well-being of individuals. Sleep deficiency can lead to various physical and mental health issues, including more severe insomnia, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Improving sleep quality is often emphasized through sleep hygiene. An emerging nonpharmacological intervention is the use of weighted blankets, which apply deep-pressure stimulation to promote feelings of relaxation, comfort, and security similar to a gentle hug. This study explored the effects of weighted blankets on sleep quality and symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Thirty participants (M = 33 years, SD = 9.13) used weighted blankets for 14 nights. They completed the …

Evaluating The Role Of Interoceptive Awareness In Insomnia And Across The Sleep Health Spectrum, Lara Lobrutto

Theses and Dissertations

Interoceptive awareness, characterized by a non-judgmental and trusting attitude towards body sensations, is an understudied construct that is implicated in sleep and health outcomes. Interoceptive awareness is cultivated via contemplative and mindfulness-based practices. Given that it may be utilized to reduce pre-sleep arousal, which is a key mechanism in insomnia, interoceptive awareness is posited to be a protective factor for sleep health. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate university students (N = 420) in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States to assess the association between interoceptive awareness and sleep outcomes. Participants received a survey link and completed …

Mediators Of The Insomnia-Suicidality Association, Zach Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

Rationale: The severity of insomnia symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep and returning to sleep when awakened in the night, are major risk factors for more severe suicidality including suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and death by suicide. As a modifiable risk factor, insomnia is a potential target for suicide prevention. There are several commonly observed gaps in the literature studying the association between insomnia and suicidality including little exploration of potential mediators, limited assessments of insomnia and suicidality, and a lack of sample diversity and representativeness. As such, the models that explain the association between insomnia and suicidality remain unclear and …

The Role Of Dysfunctional Beliefs And Attitudes About Sleep (Dbas), Rumination, Psychological Inflexibility, And Insomnia Among College Students, Guadalupe G. San Miguel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of the study was to understand additional variables that play a role between insomnia and the inability to stay present with internal feelings/emotions (i.e., psychological inflexibility) among college students. These variables that were predicted to help explain this relationship include dysfunctional sleep-related cognitions and insomnia rumination. To do this, college students were surveyed online at the start of the study and one month later. In addition, to be included in the study they must have been enrolled in a 2- or 4-year university, have access to the internet, and not diagnosed with another sleep disorder. Participants (n …

A Comparison Of Psychological Stress And Sleep Problems In Undocumented Students, Daca Recipients, And U.S. Citizens, Andy Torres, Jordan Kenemore, Grant Benham

Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Amidst the uncertainty of a shifting political landscape, our study examined stress and sleep problems experienced by both Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) undergraduates and non-DACA undocumented immigrants in an undergraduate population, in relation to students who were US citizens. We surveyed 969 students (93% Hispanic; 69% female) in 2017 or 2019 using established measures of stress, sleep quality, and insomnia. Collapsed across years, undocumented students reported significantly greater stress than citizens and DACA students, but DACA students did not differ from citizens. No differences were found in sleep for either quality or insomnia. Additionally, DACA student stress was …

The Role Of Physical Activity And Gender As Moderators For The Relationship Between Insomnia And Depression, Claire E. Wickersham

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association between insomnia and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults and to investigate whether gender or physical activity moderates this relationship. Method: This study used nationally representative data from the 2016 and 2018 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and binomial logistic regression was used to estimate models. Regression models for risk of depressive symptoms (2018) were based on a longitudinal model with time-lagged indicators of insomnia, levels of physical activity, and covariates (2016). Results: Analyses showed that participants who reported having insomnia in 2016 were more …

Sleep Self-Efficacy, Loneliness, And Physical Activity: Assessing The Pathways Between Sleep Quality And Mental Health Using Structural Equation Modeling, Amber M. Fox

Theses and Dissertations

Although there is robust empirical support that poor sleep contributes to declines in mental health, explanations of this relationship remain unclear. The purpose of the present study was to examine the pattern of associations between sleep quality, sleep self-efficacy, loneliness, physical activity, and mental health among U.S. adults across the lifespan, and whether they differed by gender or age group. A structural equation model with invariance analysis was developed and examined data from 2,300 adults (M_age = 44.1, SD = 16.78) participating in the online study Investigating Sleep Longitudinally Across Normal Development (ISLAND). Sleep quality was measured by …

Investigating The Psychological Impact Of Covid-19 Among Healthcare Workers: A Meta-Analysis, Kavita Batra, Tejinder Pal Singh, Manoj Sharma, Ravi Batra, Nena Schvaneveldt

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Previous meta-analyses were conducted during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, which utilized a smaller pool of data. The current meta-analysis aims to provide additional (and updated) evidence related to the psychological impact among healthcare workers. The search strategy was developed by a medical librarian and bibliographical databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for studies examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological health of healthcare workers. Articles were screened by three reviewers. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed by I2 statistic. The random-effects model …

Sleep And Suicide: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Longitudinal Studies, Richard T. Liu, Stephanie J. Steele, Jessica L. Hamilton, Quyen B.P. Do, Kayla Furbish, Taylor A. Burke, Ashley P. Martinez, Nimesha Gerlus

Psychology: Faculty Publications

The current review provides a quantitative synthesis of the empirical literature on sleep disturbance as a risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). A systematic search of PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and the references of prior reviews resulted in 41 eligible studies included in this meta-analysis. Sleep disturbance, including insomnia, prospectively predicted STBs, yielding small-to-medium to medium effect sizes for these associations. Complicating interpretation of these findings however, is that few studies of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, as well as none of suicide deaths, assessed short-term risk (i.e., employed follow-up assessments of under a month). Such studies are needed to …

Insomnia Is Associated With Frequency Of Suicidal Ideation Independent Of Depression: A Replication And Extension Of Findings From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, Zach Simmons, Lance D. Erickson, Dawson Hedges, Daniel Kay

Faculty Publications

Objective: Insomnia is associated with suicidality, although the mechanisms of this association are unclear. This study sought to replicate previous findings showing that insomnia symptoms but not sleep duration are associated with frequency of suicidal ideation in adults. We further investigated whether depression or sleep duration moderates the association between insomnia symptoms and frequency of suicidal ideation.

Materials and Methods: We used the 2005–2006 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to replicate previously reported findings from the 2007–2008 cycle. We used ordered logistic regression to determine whether insomnia symptoms were associated with frequency of suicidal ideation independently …

Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, Depression, And Sleep Disturbances In Primary Care: Does Gratitude Help You Sleep?, Heather R. Altier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sleep disturbances are prevalent in primary care patients and can be exacerbated by interpersonal dysfunction and depression. As well, thwarted interpersonal needs (TIN), including thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, contribute to depression. However, the presence of gratitude, a cognitive-emotional protective factor, may improve symptoms. We longitudinally examined the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relation between TIN and sleep disturbances, and the moderating role of gratitude on the TIN-sleep disturbances and depression-sleep disturbances linkages. Our primary care patient sample (N = 223) completed self-report surveys at baseline (T1) and at a one-year follow-up (T2; n = 97). Patients …

Insomnia Symptom Severity Is Associated With Increased Suicidality And Suicide In A Psychiatric Sample, Zachary Alan Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

Insomnia is a risk factor for suicidal behavior including attempts and suicide. We investigated whether insomnia symptom severity predicted suicidality and suicide in an at-risk sample. The sample included deceased psychiatric patients seen at Weber Human Services since 2008 (N=180) who completed the Outpatient Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ) prior to death. Insomnia symptom severity was assessed using item 41 from the OQ. Manner of death was determined by death records and autopsy reports. History of suicidal ideation and prior suicide attempts were determined through review of electronic medical records. Cases were grouped into 4 categories: no history of suicidality (n = 30), …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Acceptability Of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Insomnia In Rural Women, Mairead Eastin Moloney, Madeline Dunfee, Matthew Rutledge, Nancy Schoenberg

Sociology Faculty Publications

Background: Insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders among women in midlife, is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. Rural Appalachian women are disproportionately affected by insufficient sleep, but their barriers to care (e.g., health care shortages, cultural norms) may prevent intervention. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) an Internet-based version of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in Appalachian women ages 45+ years.

Materials and Methods: We used mixed methods to assess feasibility (through summaries of recruitment and retention data) and acceptability (quantitatively through online survey scales and qualitatively …

Loneliness And Sleep: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Sarah C. Griffin, Allison B. Williams, Scott G. Ravyts, Samantha N. Mladen, Bruce D. Rybarczyk

Psychology Publications

Despite the mounting evidence linking loneliness with health, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain obscure. This systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between loneliness and one potential mechanism—sleep—identified 27 relevant articles. Loneliness correlated with self-reported sleep disturbance (r = .28, 95% confidence interval (.24, .33)) but not duration, across a diverse set of samples and measures. There was no evidence supporting age or gender as moderators or suggesting publication bias. The longitudinal relationship between loneliness and sleep remains unclear. Loneliness is related to sleep disturbance, but research is necessary to determine directionality, examine the influence of other factors, …

Using Recreational Cannabis To Treat Insomnia: Evidence From Over-The-Counter Sleep Aid Sales In Colorado, Jacqueline M. Doremus, Sarah S. Stith, Jacob M. Vigil

Economics

This study seeks to understand whether people substitute between recreational cannabis and conventional over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medications. UPC-level grocery store scanner data in a multivariable panel regression design were used to compare the change in the monthly market share of sleep aids with varying dispensary-based recreational cannabis access (existence, sales, and count) in Colorado counties between 12/2013 and 12/2014. We measured annually-differenced market shares for sleep aids as a portion of the overall OTC medication market, thus accounting for store-level demand shifts in OTC medication markets and seasonality, and used the monthly changes in stores’ sleep aid market share to …

The Effects Of Sleep On Workplace Cognitive Failure And Safety, Rebecca M. Brossoit, Tori L. Crain, Jordyn J. Leslie, Leslie B. Hammer, Donald M. Truxillo, Todd E. Bodner

Psychology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Healthy employee sleep is important for occupational safety, but the mechanisms that explain the relationships among sleep and safety-related behaviors remain unknown. We draw from Crain, Brossoit, and Fisher's (in press) work, nonwork, and sleep (WNS) framework and Barnes' (2012) model of sleep and self-regulation in organizations to investigate the influence of construction workers' self-reported sleep quantity (i.e., duration) and quality (i.e., feeling well-rest upon awakening, ability to fall asleep and remain asleep) on workplace cognitive failures (i.e., lapses in attention, memory, and action at work) and subsequent workplace safety behaviors (i.e., safety compliance and safety participation) and reports of …

The Association Of Optimism With Sleep Duration And Quality: Findings From The Coronary Artery Risk And Development In Young Adults (Cardia) Study, Rosalba Hernandez, Thanh-Huyen T. Vu, Kiarri N. Kershaw, Julia K. Boehm, Laura D. Kubzansky, Mercedes Carnethon, Claudia Trudel-Fitzgerald, Kristen L. Knutson, Laura A. Colangelo, Kiang Liu

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Optimism is associated with better health outcomes with hypothesized effects due in part to optimism's association with restorative health processes. Limited work has examined whether optimism is associated with better quality sleep, a major restorative process. We test the hypothesis that greater optimism is associated with more favorable sleep quality and duration. Main analyses included adults aged 32-51 who participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study (n = 3,548) during the fifth (Year 15: 2000-2001) and sixth (Year 20: 2005-2006) follow-up visits. Optimism was assessed using the revised Life-Orientation Test. Self-report measures of …

Multimodal Neuroimaging Of Insomnia During Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (Mni_Nrem), Daniel Kay

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The impact of insomnia on brain regions/networks during sleep may represent mechanisms through which insomnia contributes to the risk for mood disorders. As a first step toward understanding the risk relationship linking insomnia to mood disorders, this study will utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with multimodal techniques to investigate alterations in brain regions and networks during wake and NREM sleep in patients with insomnia relative to good sleeper controls. We also intend to investigate the pathophysiology of insomnia across 8 units of analysis by combining these data with Dr. Kay’s larger study, the MNI_RDoC (IRB #16377). The units of …

Insomnia, Race, And Mental Wellness, Debbie D. Hendley

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study examines the experiences of insomnia among sixteen Americans who are descendants of people who lived in the United States during chattel slavery. The investigation is guided by the following two central questions: Is the lived experience of insomnia among African Americans the same as the experience among non-Hispanic White Americans? In addition, what is the lived experience of sleep among African Americans and Non-Hispanic White Americans? Each participant met individually with the researcher and privately reflected on their experience with insomnia defined here as a condition in which individuals have difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep that furthermore …

Sleep Disturbances And Depression Severity In Patients With Parkinson’S Disease, Daniel Kay, Jared J. Tanner, Dawn Bowers

Faculty Publications

Objectives: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multisystem movement disorder associated with sleep disturbance and depression. Sleep disturbances and depression severity share a bidirectional association. This association may be greater in individuals who are more vulnerable to the deleterious consequences of sleep disturbance and depression severity. We investigated whether the association between sleep disturbances and depression severity is greater in patients with PD than in matched controls (MC).

Materials and Methods: The study sample (N = 98) included 50 patients with idiopathic PD and 48 age-, race-, sex-, and education-matched controls. Sleep disturbances were assessed using self-reported total sleep time (TST) …

Delineating The Relationship Between Insomnia, Dysfunctional Sleep Beliefs, Perceived Stress, Anxiety , And Depression, Hannah P. Lethbridge, Aileen M. Pidgeon

Aileen M. Pidgeon

Insomnia is a sleep disorder highly prevalent among university students which can increase the risk for developing anxiety and depression. Vulnerability to dysfunctional sleep beliefs, and cognitive arousal (perceived stress) have been shown to be predisposing factors for insomnia. Although insomnia in university students is associated with deleterious effects, limited research has focused on this at-risk population. The aim of the current study was to further delineate the relationships between insomnia, perceived stress, dysfunctional sleep beliefs, anxiety and depression among a sample of 195 Australian university students (33 males; 162 females; Mage = 22.37, SD = 7.02). Mediation and regression …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Veterans Experiencing Insomnia: A Systematic Review, Dustin Cobb

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

In this systematic literature review, research regarding veterans experiencing insomnia and the utilization of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia as an effective treatment modality were synthesized. Using the sociology research database SocINDEX; nine studies examining the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a treatment option for insomnia and insomnia related symptoms met criteria for the review. The Behavioral Model of Insomnia was used as the conceptual framework for this review. This framework was utilized to explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an effective means of treating veterans experiencing insomnia. Studies included in this systematic review produced these findings: improvements in sleep …

Hyperarousal And Beyond: New Insights To The Pathophysiology Of Insomnia Disorder Through Functional Neuroimaging Studies, Daniel Kay, Daniel J. Buysse

Faculty Publications

Neuroimaging studies have produced seemingly contradictory findings in regards to the pathophysiology of insomnia. Although most study results are interpreted from the perspective of a “hyperarousal” model, the aggregate findings from neuroimaging studies suggest a more complex model is needed. We provide a review of the major findings from neuroimaging studies, then discuss them in relation to a heuristic model of sleep-wake states that involves three major factors: wake drive, sleep drive, and level of conscious awareness. We propose that insomnia involves dysregulation in these factors, resulting in subtle dysregulation of sleep-wake states throughout the 24 h light/dark cycle.

Insomnia, Psychiatric Disorders And Suicidal Ideation In A National Representative Sample Of Active Canadian Forces Members, Don Richardson, A. Thompson, Lisa King, B. Corbett, P. Shnaider, K. St Cyr, C. Nelson, J. Sareen, Jon Elhai, M. Zamorski

MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre

Background

Past research on the association between insomnia and suicidal ideation (SI) has produced mixed findings. The current study explored the relationship between insomnia, SI, and past-year mental health status among a large Canadian Forces (CF) sample.

Method

Data was obtained from the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey (CFMHS), and included a large representative sample of Canadian Regular Forces personnel (N = 6700). A series of univariate logistic regressions were conducted to test individual associations between past-year mental health status, insomnia, and potential confounds and SI. Mental health status included three groups: 0, 1, or two or more …

Manifestations Of Overarousal Account For The Association Between Cognitive Anxiety Sensitivity And Suicidal Ideation, Megan L. Rogers, Raymond P. Tucker, Keyne C. Law, Matthew S. Michaels, Michael D. Anestis, Thomas E. Joiner

Faculty Publications

Background: Recent evidence suggests an association between cognitive anxiety sensitivity and suicidal ideation. Cognitive anxiety sensitivity has also been implicated as a precursor to various forms of overarousal. These manifestations of overarousal (i.e., agitation, insomnia, nightmares, and anger) may account for the association between cognitive anxiety sensitivity and suicidal ideation.

Methods: In Study 1, undergraduate students selectively sampled for recent suicidal ideation completed all measures online. In Study 2, clinical outpatients completed all measures prior to their initial intake appointments at a psychology clinic.

Results: Study 1 demonstrated that agitation and insomnia individually and jointly accounted for …

The Relationship Between Self-Compassion, Sleep Quality, And Perceived Stress Among Undergraduate And Graduate Students, Michael Unger

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research has indicated that sleep problems are prevalent in college students. Current studies show that over half of college students report that they are poor-quality sleepers. The consequences of poor sleep quality include increased stress, substance use, and mental health issues. Poor sleep hygiene is one of the many factors that contribute to poor sleep quality in college students. Although research has identified contributing factors and consequences of sleep problems in college students, less attention has been given to factors that may serve as a buffer against the effects of poor sleep quality. This study introduces and discusses self-compassion as …

Does Emotional Processing Mediate The Link Between Disordered Sleep And Depression?, Kimberly O'Leary

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disordered sleep is strongly linked to depression, but reasons for this are not well understood. One possibility is that this link is partially explained by deficits in the emotional processing system. This model is substantiated based on the strong link between sleep and emotions, as well as ties between affect and depression. Therefore, this study tested whether various emotional and non-emotional deficits mediated the link between poor sleep quality and depression. Two hundred undergraduate students were recruited via an online university system. Participants completed self-report scales of depression, sleep quality, emotion recognition, and affective response to pre-tested pleasant or unpleasant …

Symptom Severity, Treatment Acceptability, And Motivational Predictors Related To Patient Improvement For Insomnia, Shelby Marie Afflerbach

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

With the widespread presence of sleep disorders in the United States, especially insomnia, it is pertinent to investigate beliefs that patients have about insomnia, symptom severity, and treatment acceptability in order to assess patients' motivation for behavioral change. Participants in this archival study were thirty-one patients seeking help for sleep-related issues, whom were primarily from a Midwestern metropolitan area. Patients had completed pre-treatment measures that assessed insomnia symptoms, outcomes, treatment acceptability, and willingness to change and one post-treatment measure assessing insomnia outcomes. Because the purpose of the present study was to examine whether these variables predict patient improvement (higher scores …

Effectiveness Of A Cbt Intervention For Persistent Insomnia And Hypnotic Dependency In An Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, Hannah Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research supports the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in patients with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses; however, questions remain about the effectiveness of CBT-I due to the fact that previous studies excluded patients with significant psychiatric symptoms and comorbid diagnoses. This study begins to address this gap in the insomnia literature by testing a five-session CBT-I intervention in a diverse sample of patients receiving mental health treatment in an outpatient psychiatry clinic (N=23) who continue to experience chronic insomnia despite receiving pharmacological treatment for sleep. Participants were randomized to CBT-I (n=13) or a treatment as usual control group (n=10). …