Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6811582 | Psychiatry Research | 2018 | 23 Pages |
Abstract
Studies show that unhelpful cognitive processes play a role in insomnia, whereas interpersonal factors have been less studied in insomnia. Attachment theory can be used as a cognitive-interpersonal framework for understanding insomnia. Because attachment insecurity (vs security) is related to psychiatric disorders the objective was to study the attachment style in insomnia. To this aim sixty-four subjects with Insomnia Disorder (DSM-5) and 38 good sleepers were evaluate in a cross-sectional study with: Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), Arousal Predisposition Scale (APS), Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS) and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). Differences in means between groups were assessed using t-test or Mann-Whitney U/Wilcoxon test. Linear/multiple regression analyses were performed. Subjects with insomnia (mean age 47.1 + 13 yrs) presented an insecure attachment style and higher scores in all the scales (ASQ, APS, PSAS, DERS p < 0.0001) than good sleepers (mean age 48.2 + 14 yrs). After taking into account anxiety/depressive symptoms, insecure attachment was related to hyperarousal trait (p = 0.02), pre-sleep hyperarousal (p = 0.04) and emotion dysregulation (p = 0.002). In conclusion subjects with insomnia showed an insecure attachment which was related to hyperarousal trait, pre-sleep hyperarousal and emotion dysregulation. It may intervene in the trajectory of insomnia starting from predisposition to perpetuation. Clinical implications are discussed.
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Authors
Laura Palagini, Eleonora Petri, Martina Novi, Danila Caruso, Umberto Moretto, Dieter Riemann,