Personality and healthy sleep: the importance of conscientiousness and neuroticism

Association between grit and insomnia: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the association of the grit scale, a personality trait characterized by perseverance and passion, with both the presence and the severity of insomnia in the Korean adult population.

METHODS

A nationwide population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires between September and December 2018 in Korea. Grit was assessed by using the 8-item Short Grit Scale. Participants were categorized into insomnia and non-insomnia groups based on a threshold of 10 on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). The association between girt and insomnia was analyzed using multiple linear regression and multivariable logistic regression, controlling for sociodemographic factors, lifestyles, and comorbidities.

RESULTS

A total of 2453 participants (49.9 % male; aged 19-92 years) were enrolled in the study. Individual grit scores ranged from 1.75 to 5.00 points (mean [SD], 3.27 [0.42]), and insomnia was present in 16.5 % of the population. The insomnia group exhibited lower grit score compared to the non-insomnia group (3.11 [0.40] vs. 3.30 [0.42], p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.46). Grit was negatively associated with ISI scores (β = -0.15, 95 % CI = -0.19, -0.11, p < 0.001) and with having insomnia (OR 0.40, 95 % CI = 0.30, 0.55, p < 0.001), after controlling for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with higher grit were less likely to have insomnia. Clinicians should consider personality traits, such as grit, in the evaluation and the management of insomnia.

The Relationship Between Big Five Personality Traits and Sleep Patterns: A Systematic Review

Sleep, an intrinsic aspect of human life, is experienced by individuals differently which may be influenced by personality traits and characteristics. Exploring how these traits influence behaviors and sleep routines could be used to inform more personalized and effective interventions to promote better sleep. Our objective was to summarize the existing literature on the relationship between personality traits and sleep patterns through a systematic review. An abstract and keyword search was conducted in PsycINFO, Cochrane and PubMed, collecting relevant literature, published between January 1980 and June 2024. A total of 1713 records were found, of which 18 studies were analyzed in the descriptive synthesis. Relevant studies covered populations in 11 different countries, Australia, China, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States, comprising a total of 58,812 subjects. All studies reported an association between a sleep pattern with at least one of the Big Five personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience). Ten studies found associations between personality and sleep quality, all of which reported a link between neuroticism and sleep quality (effect sizes 0.183-0.40). Five studies found an association between conscientiousness and morningness (effect sizes 0.16-0.35). Other sleep patterns linked to personality traits included sleep duration, nightmare frequency and distress, sleep deficiency, sleep continuity, insomnia severity and sleep problems, sleep hygiene, sleep latency and daytime sleepiness. This novel systematic review confirms that sleep and personality traits are related, suggesting that those traits should be considered when trying to understand or change one's sleep behavior.

From the Workroom to the Bedroom: Work-to-Home Spillover as a Mechanism Linking Work Characteristics to Sleep Health

Work may influence the home domain and subsequently impact employee sleep. Past work found that negative spillover mediated the relationship between perceived unfairness about work and insomnia symptoms across 20 years. As an extension of past work, this study investigated whether negative spillover and positive spillover mediate the relationship between job demands (perceived unfairness, job discrimination) and job resources (coworker and supervisor support) on multidimensional sleep health. Two waves of survey data from a subset of full-time workers were obtained from the Midlife in the United States Study approximately 10 years apart. A sleep health composite captured irregularity, dissatisfaction, nap frequency, inefficiency, and suboptimal sleep duration (higher=more sleep health problems). PROCESS Macro evaluated cross-sectional (T1) and sequential (T1 exposureàT1 mediatoràT2 outcome) mediation pathways, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, physical health, neuroticism, and work hours. Both cross-sectionally and prospectively, higher negative spillover mediated the association of higher unfairness with more sleep health problems, and the association between higher discrimination and more sleep health problems. There was no support for positive spillover as a mediator between job resources and sleep health cross-sectionally or prospectively. Findings suggest that organizations should reduce the amount of negative spillover by limiting instances of unfairness and discrimination at work to promote specific aspects of employee sleep health such as sleep irregularity, dissatisfaction, efficiency, and nap frequency.

The effects of big five personality traits on sub-health in a Chinese young adults: A moderated mediation model

BACKGROUND

Sub-health can have an impact on the physical condition of the young adults, and this study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of sub-health related to the Big Five personality in Chinese young adults.

METHODS

A multi-stage random sampling method was used to survey the Chinese young adults. A moderated mediation analysis was conducted to investigate how sleep quality and family health influenced the relationship between diverse personalities and sub-health in young adults.

RESULTS

A total of 6165 young adults were included in this study. The results of the mediation analysis indicated that sleep quality partially mediated the relationship between neurotic, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness of young adults and sub-health. Family health played a moderating role between the sleep quality and agreeableness of young adults.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional study limits conclusions about causal relationships between factors.

CONCLUSION

Family health and sleep quality can influence sub-health in Chinese young adults with different personality traits.

The moderating role of conscientiousness in the temporal association of stress on sleep

Personality traits have been associated with sleep problems and stress experience. However, their impact on objective sleep and the temporal relationship of stress on sleep has remained elusive. This study examined whether daytime stress predicts sleep the following night, and the moderating role of neuroticism and conscientiousness in this relationship. To introduce stress variability in natural daily stressors, we measured college students (N = 92) during exams (e.g. high academic stress) and at the start of new course period (e.g. low academic stress). Both objective (actigraphy) and subjective sleep, and daily self-reported stress, were measured for 14 days and personality traits once. Reported daily stress was significantly higher in the exam period compared with baseline, suggesting that our natural manipulation did indeed result in variation in stress levels. Intra-individual daily variations in stress were not associated with the following night's sleep timing, duration or fragmentation, implying that more stress during the day did not affect sleep the following night. Higher levels of neuroticism were associated with poorer daily subjective sleep quality and higher stress levels over the complete period. Neuroticism did not moderate the temporal association of stress on sleep. Conscientiousness moderated the association between intra-individual stress and sleep fragmentation, and intra-individual stress and wake-up time. This implied that highly conscientious participants experienced less sleep fragmentation and woke-up earlier after more stressful days. These results suggest an interconnected relationship among stress, sleep and personality. Focusing on one aspect, like handling stress or enhancing sleep quality, might yield positive effects on the rest.

Sleep reactivity mediates the relationship between sensory-processing sensitivity and insomnia symptoms severity: A cross-sectional correlational study

Sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) is a temperamental trait that describes individual differences in sensitivity to environmental stimuli. Previous studies have shown that highly sensitive individuals are more vulnerable to stress and to sleep-related difficulties. In light of this evidence, we hypothesized that SPS is associated with an increase in insomnia symptoms and that this correlation would be mediated by increased perceived stress and sleep reactivity. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a cross-sectional study on 358 adults who completed a survey that included self-report measures of sensitivity, perceived stress, sleep reactivity, and insomnia symptoms. Correlation analysis revealed that SPS was positively related to both stress-related and sleep-related variables. We then conducted a mediation analysis, which revealed that SPS was positively related to insomnia symptoms and that this relationship was fully mediated by sleep reactivity but not mediated at all by perceived stress. The current findings suggest that sleep reactivity may contribute to the development of insomnia symptoms in highly sensitive individuals. Therefore, these results suggests that sleep reactivity should be assessed in highly sensitive individuals and that it could be important to evaluate and further study this relationship.

Linking genetic foundations of sleep disturbances to personality traits: a study of mid-life twins

Risk of sleep disturbances depends on individuals' personality, and a large body of evidence indicates that individuals prone to neuroticism, impulsivity, and (low) extraversion are more likely to experience them. Origins of these associations are unclear, but common genetic background may play an important role. Participants included 405 twin pairs (mean age of 54 years; 59% female) from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) who reported on their personality traits (broad and specific), as well as sleep disturbances (problems with falling asleep, staying asleep, waking early, and feeling unrested). Uni- and bivariate biometric decompositions evaluated contributions of genetic and environmental factors to associations between personality and poor sleep, as well as unique contributions from individual traits. Neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, and aggressiveness were the strongest phenotypic predictors of poor sleep. Genetic sources of covariance were about twice as large as non-shared environmental sources, and only shared genetic background accounted for links between aggressiveness and poor sleep. Neuroticism and extraversion accounted for most of the genetic overlap between personality and sleep disturbances. The findings shed light on developmental antecedents of ties between personality and poor sleep, suggesting a larger role of common genetic background than idiosyncratic life experiences. The results also suggest that emotion-related traits play the most important role for poor sleep, compared to other personality traits, and may partially account for genetic associations with other traits.

Exploring Wellness Through Concept Analysis

Modern wellness is a concept that has been discussed in the literature since the 1960's. To better understand wellness complexities in a school setting, a concept analysis was conducted using a modified version of Walker and Avant's method incorporating the nursing paradigm in the implications. A literature review was conducted and except for background information, the publication dates were limited to 2017-2022. Key search terms included "wellness," "school wellness," "wellness concept." Additional literature reviews were conducted based on data related to the definitions, attributes, antecedents, and consequences of wellness that were collected from the reviewed studies. Defining attributes of wellness included healthy habits, conscientiousness, and optimum state of health. The antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of wellness were identified with examples from the literature and case exemplars. Wellness is a dynamic process that has unique implications for school health and school nurses. This concept analysis lays the foundation for future research incorporating nursing domains.

Examining the relationship between bedtime procrastination and personality traits in Chinese college students: the mediating role of self-regulation skills

Objective: Personality traits are commonly used to explain individual differences in procrastinatory behavior. This study aims to examine the relationship between bedtime procrastination (BP) and personality traits, and to understand the role of self-regulation skills in this relationship. Participants: We recruited 294 college students. Methods: Data were collected through standardized questionnaires to evaluate BP, personality traits, and self-control (a main indicator of self-regulation skills). Results: Correlation analysis showed that BP was positively correlated with the psychoticism and neuroticism dimensions of Eysenck's personality. Hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling analyses further revealed that psychoticism and neuroticism predicted BP directly and indirectly via self-control. Conclusions: BP has a significant relationship with Eysenck's personality traits, particularly, with some dimensions that directly and indirectly predict BP through self-regulation skills. Therefore, individualized intervention strategies based on personality traits and self-regulation skills should be integrated in measures used to reduce BP behaviors among college students.

The mediating effect of personality on mental workload and perceived professional benefits of nurses in East China

BACKGROUND

Nursing work is a work with high-stress load, and nurses with different personality may have different subjective feelings about their workload. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to comprehend the perceived professional benefits of nurses engaged in nursing work under high-pressure background, especially during the epidemic period. This study explored the relationship between mental workload, personality, and perceived professional benefits of nurses, and offer advices for the intervention of nurses with different personality to improve their perceived professional benefits.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we used a cross-sectional study with a convenient sampling. 473 in-service nurses in Class A tertiary hospitals of Zhejiang Province were recruited by using the NASA Mission Load Index scale of nurses, the brief version of China's Big Five Personality Questionnaire, and the Nurses' perceived professional benefits questionnaire from July 2020 to March 2021. Sample size is 54.91%, and the response rate is 100%. Cronbach's alpha method was used to evaluate the reliability of the instruments. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to describe the socio-demographic data of the subject, and scores for research variables. The Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis H rank-sum test were used to compare the scores of perceived professional benefits with different demographic characteristics. Correlation analysis results were presented as the Spearman correlation coefficient. The plug-in v2.16.3 provided by SPSS software was used for linear regression analysis, and the deviation-corrected percentile Bootstrap method was used to examine the mediating role of personality (neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness and extroversion).

RESULTS

Age, length of service in nursing, and record of formal schooling can affect nurses' perceived professional benefits. Mental workload, and perceived professional benefits were all above the median value. The mental workload was negatively correlated with perceived professional benefits (r= -0.129, P < 0.01), positively correlated with neuroticism (r = 0.242, P < 0.01), negatively correlated with agreeableness, openness, extroversion (r=-0.229~-0.221, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with conscientiousness, but the differences were not significant. Nurses' perceived professional benefits were negatively correlated neuroticism (r=-0.109, P < 0.05), but positively associated with conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, and extroversion (r = 0.098 ~ 0.326, P < 0.05). The mental workload can directly affect the perceived professional benefits in the direct effects, and can also affect the it through the mediating effect of agreeableness, extroversion, neuroticism, and openness.

CONCLUSIONS

Age, length of service in nursing, and record of formal schooling could affect nurses' perceived professional benefits, and personality played a partial mediating role in the influence of mental workload on the perceived professional benefits. The results of this study can provide strategies for nurses' human resource management. According to different demographic factors, and personality, various measures should be taken to guide nurses to evaluate the mental workload correctly, reduce their emotional pressure, increase job resources, and improve their perceived professional benefits.

Was there a significant difference in sleep shifts in the high school population due to the COVID-19 pandemic depending on chronotype? A nationwide cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to detect whether the COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in the sleep cycle (subjective sleep shifts) of high school students divided into a sample of young women - W (n = 1999, age = 17.65 ± 2.39 y) and young men - M (n = 1094, age = 17.49 ± 1.74 y) in Slovakia depending on circadian preference in comparison with the term before COVID-19. The present cross-sectional study employed a self-reported standardized questionnaire (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire) to study circadian preference, which was complemented by a question focused on subjective sleep shifts before and during the pandemic. The results revealed significant strong dependence between circadian preference and subjective sleep shift in both W (χ2(8) = 153.1, p < .01, Cramer's V = .20, p < .01) and M (χ2(8) = 98.3, p < .01, Cramer's V =.21, p < .01). The delay of the sleep cycle has mainly become apparent in the case of definite evening types (W: 75.7%; M: 71.8%) and moderate evening types (W: 83.1%; M: 70.3%). The delay also prevailed in the intermediate types (W: 61.9%; M: 53.8%). Subjective sleep shifts were not confirmed (W: 93.8%; M: 35.3%) in the definite morning type. The sleep cycle was changed to earlier hours of definite morning types (W: 6.3%; M: 52.9%). It is necessary to focus on definite and moderate evening types and regulate the unsuitable state to time shift of the sleep cycle.

Hypnagogic states are quite common: Self-reported prevalence, modalities, and gender differences

The hypnagogic state refers to the transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep during which vivid experiences occur. In this questionnaire study, we assessed the self-reported prevalence of hypnagogic states considering the frequency of experiences in different modalities. We also assessed the emotional quality and the vividness of the experiences. Moreover, we compared hypnagogic states to other phenomena, such as dreams, sleep paralysis, imagination, and extra-sensory perception in these measures. Hypnagogic states were reported by 80.2 % of 4456 participants and were more prevalent in women than men. Experiences were most often kinaesthetic and visual, and less often auditory, tactile, and olfactory or gustatory. Hypnagogic states were less prevalent than dreams and characterized by different modality profiles. However, they were similar to dreams in their emotional quality, the irritation they caused, and in their vividness. In conclusion, hypnagogic states are quite common.

The potential of biomarkers for diagnosing insomnia: Consensus statement of the WFSBP Task Force on Sleep Disorders

OBJECTIVES

Thus far, the diagnosis of insomnia is based on purely clinical criteria. Although a broad range of altered physiological parameters has been identified in insomniacs, the evidence to establish their diagnostic usefulness is very limited. Purpose of this WFSBP Task Force consensus paper is to systematically evaluate a series of biomarkers as potential diagnostic tools for insomnia.

METHODS

A newly created grading system was used for assessing the validity of various measurements in establishing the diagnosis of insomnia; these measurements originated from relevant studies selected and reviewed by experts.

RESULTS

The measurements with the highest diagnostic performance were those derived from psychometric instruments. Biological measurements which emerged as potentially useful diagnostic instruments were polysomnography-derived cyclic alternating pattern, actigraphy, and BDNF levels, followed by heart rate around sleep onset, deficient melatonin rhythm, and certain neuroimaging patterns (mainly for the activity of frontal and pre-frontal cortex, hippocampus and basal ganglia); yet, these findings need replication, as well as establishment of commonly accepted methodology and diagnostic cut-off points. Routine polysomnography, EEG spectral analysis, heart rate variability, skin conductance, thermoregulation, oxygen consumption, HPA axis, and inflammation indices were not shown to be of satisfactory diagnostic value.

CONCLUSIONS

Apart from psychometric instruments which are confirmed to be the gold standard in diagnosing insomnia, six biomarkers emerge as being potentially useful for this purpose.

Personality, dietary identity, mental and sleep health in vegans and vegetarians: A preliminary cross-sectional study

Background and Aims

Plant-based diets have gained popularity over the past decade. However, research regarding mental and sleep health benefits of following plant-based diets are conflicting. As there are associations between mental/sleep health and various personality traits, and personality may differ between individuals who follow different diets, in this preliminary study, we examined the associations between mental and sleep health and (i) personality and (ii) dietary identity in individuals who follow vegan and vegetarian diets.

Methods

Cross-sectional data on sociodemographic, personality traits, dietarian identity, overall mental health, depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep quality were collected from 57 vegan/vegetarian participants between the ages of 18-40.

Results

After controlling for various sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, linear regression models revealed that (i) higher dietarian private regard was a significant predictor of better overall mental health, (ii) lower levels of extraversion and higher levels of empathy predicted depression, (iii) higher levels of neuroticism and empathy predicted anxiety, (iv) higher levels of neuroticism, dietarian centrality, and neuroticism × centrality predicted stress, (v) higher levels of conscientiousness, lower levels of dietarian centrality, but higher levels of personal motivation and dietary strictness, as well as conscientiousness × centrality, conscientiousness × personal motivation, and conscientiousness × strictness predicted better sleep quality.

Conclusions

These preliminary findings suggest that not only personality traits, but also dietary identity was indeed related to mental and sleep health in individuals who follow plant-based diets.

The Situated Assessment Method (SAM2): Establishing individual differences in habitual behavior

From the perspectives of grounded, situated, and embodied cognition, we have developed a new approach for assessing individual differences. Because this approach is grounded in two dimensions of situatedness-situational experience and the Situated Action Cycle-we refer to it as the Situated Assessment Method (SAM2). Rather than abstracting over situations during assessment of a construct (as in traditional assessment instruments), SAM2 assesses a construct in situations where it occurs, simultaneously measuring factors from the Situated Action Cycle known to influence it. To demonstrate this framework, we developed the SAM2 Habitual Behavior Instrument (SAM2 HBI). Across three studies with a total of 442 participants, the SAM2 HBI produced a robust and replicable pattern of results at both the group and individual levels. Trait-level measures of habitual behavior exhibited large reliable individual differences in the regularity of performing positive versus negative habits. Situational assessments established large effects of situations and large situation by individual interactions. Several sources of evidence demonstrated construct and content validity for SAM2 measures of habitual behavior. At both the group and individual levels, these measures were associated with factors from the Situated Action Cycle known to influence habitual behavior in the literature (consistency, automaticity, immediate reward, long-term reward). Regressions explained approximately 65% of the variance at the group level and a median of approximately 75% at the individual level. SAM2 measures further exhibited well-established interactions with personality measures for self-control and neuroticism. Cognitive-affective processes from the Situated Action Cycle explained nearly all the variance in these interactions. Finally, a composite measure of habitualness established habitual behaviors at both the group and individual levels. Additionally, a composite measure of reward was positively related to the composite measure of habitualness, increasing with self-control and decreasing with neuroticism.

Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder and its related sleep behaviors in the young generation

Delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) is a sleep disorder in which the habitual sleep-wake timing is delayed, resulting in difficulty in falling asleep and waking up at the desired time. Patients with DSWPD frequently experience fatigue, impaired concentration, sleep deprivation during weekdays, and problems of absenteeism, which may be further complicated by depressive symptoms. DSWPD is typically prevalent during adolescence and young adulthood. Although there are no studies comparing internationally, the prevalence of DSWPD is estimated to be approximately 3% with little racial differences between Caucasians and Asians. The presence of this disorder is associated with various physiological, genetic and psychological as well as behavioral factors. Furthermore, social factors are also involved in the mechanism of DSWPD. Recently, delayed sleep phase and prolonged sleep duration in the young generation have been reported during the period of COVID-19 pandemic-related behavioral restrictions. This phenomenon raises a concern about the risk of a mismatch between their sleep-wake phase and social life that may lead to the development of DSWPD after the removal of these restrictions. Although the typical feature of DSWPD is a delay in circadian rhythms, individuals with DSWPD without having misalignment of objectively measured circadian rhythm markers account for approximately 40% of the cases, wherein the psychological and behavioral characteristics of young people, such as truancy and academic or social troubles, are largely involved in the mechanism of this disorder. Recent studies have shown that DSWPD is frequently comorbid with psychiatric disorders, particularly mood and neurodevelopmental disorders, both of which have a bidirectional association with the pathophysiology of DSWPD. Additionally, patients with DSWPD have a strong tendency toward neuroticism and anxiety, which may result in the aggravation of insomnia symptoms. Therefore, future studies should address the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral approaches in addition to chronobiological approaches in the treatment of DSWPD.

The role of objectively recorded smartphone usage and personality traits in sleep quality

Purpose

The proliferation of smartphones, accompanied by internet facilities, has contributed to a decrease in sleep quality over the last decades. It has been revealed that excessive internet usage impacts the physical and mental health of smartphone users, while personality traits (PT) could play a role in developing internet addictions and preventing their negative effects. The objective of the present study is to assess the role of PT and smartphone usage in sleep quality.

Method

The sample comprised 269 participants, 55% females, within the age range of 15-64 years. We objectively collected one-week smartphone apps usage data from the participants. They also responded to demographics and the PT (BFI-10) questionnaires. The usage data of smartphone apps were processed to calculate smartphone usage amounts and sleep variables, including sleep duration, sleep distraction, sleeping time, and wake-up time. The data were analyzed using the correlation coefficient and regression analyses.

Results

The results indicated that more smartphone usage was associated with reduced sleep duration, increased sleep distraction, and later bedtime. Furthermore, smartphone users with the conscientiousness trait had a longer sleep duration, earlier sleeping time, less sleep distraction, and earlier wakeablity. Sleep distraction was positively associated with openness. Extraversion and neuroticism were found to be positive predictors of early wakeablity. Neuroticism had a negative association with early wakeablity. Finally, the implications of the study have been discussed.

Conclusion

Our study's usage of data that was acquired objectively has strong methodological qualities. The present study is the first to contribute to the literature on the role of PT and objectively measured smartphone usage in the prediction of sleep quality. We found that smartphone use and sleep variables are associated with PT. Other scholars can use our dataset for benchmarking and future comparisons.

Morning affect or sleep inertia? Comparing the constructs and their measurement

The construct of Morning Affect (MA; alertness upon awakening/time required to feel fully awake) emerged from exploratory factor analysis of morningness-eveningness questionnaires, and while it has been equated with morningness-eveningness preference it has much conceptual overlap with sleep inertia (SI; the transitional state between sleep and being fully awake). The current study compared questionnaire measures of these constructs to help clarify their inter-relationships. A volunteer sample of 453 students at an English-medium university in China completed an online survey including the Sleep Inertia Questionnaire (SIQ), the Morningness-Eveningness-Stability-Scale-improved (MESSi), with subscales for MA, Eveningness, and Distinctness (amplitude of diurnal variation), and the reduced Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ). Measures of depression, sleep quality, mindfulness, and personality were also included. Exploratory factor analysis of the SIQ, MESSi, and rMEQ items revealed seven factors: Cognitive, Emotional, and Physiological SI, Responses to SI (including one MA item), and Duration of SI (one SIQ item, 3/5 MA items, and one rMEQ item); Morningness-Eveningness (MESSi Eveningness items, plus 3/5 rMEQ items); Distinctness (3/5 MESSi items). These results suggest that Morning Affect may be better characterised as a general measure of sleep inertia, and may contribute to ongoing development/refinement of questionnaire measures of circadian functioning.

Associations between neuroticism, subjective sleep quality, and depressive symptoms across the first year of college

OBJECTIVE

Examine neuroticism's impact on the relationship between depressive symptoms and sleep quality during the college transition.

PARTICIPANTS

First-year students (N = 302) from a southeastern university in the USA.

METHODS

A longitudinal cross-lagged panel model assessed direct and indirect effects between self-reported sleep and depressed mood.

RESULTS

Higher neuroticism was directly associated with both greater depressed mood and sleep quality. Poorer sleep quality was associated with depressive symptoms at baseline (β = 0.250, [95% CI = 0.123,0.362]) and during spring semester (β = 0.261, [95% CI = 0.126,0.383]). Baseline depressive symptoms predicted sleep quality during fall semester (β = 0.140, [95% CI = 0.031, 0.247]), and fall semester sleep quality predicted spring semester depression symptoms (β = 0.106, [95% CI = 0.007,0.201]).

DISCUSSION

Neuroticism is an indicator of emotional distress and disrupted sleep upon college entry. Furthermore, there was evidence for both within time-point and prospective associations between sleep quality and depression symptoms albeit at different times throughout the first year of college.

Who Sticks with Meditation? Rates and Predictors of Persistence in a Population-based Sample in the USA

Objectives

Despite the well-documented psychological benefits of meditation practice, limited research has examined factors associated with meditation practice persistence. Like other health behaviors (e.g., exercise), non-persistence may undermine the effectiveness of meditation.

Methods

We examined rates and correlates of meditation persistence using a population-based sample (n = 953) in the United States. Persistence was operationalized in two ways: number of lifetime practice sessions (i.e., lifetime persistence) and current practice frequency (i.e., current persistence). Consistent with the National Health Interview Survey, we defined meditation as mindfulness meditation, mantra meditation, and spiritual meditation. We examined factors related to the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA), a theory that has been used to explain adherence to health behaviors.

Results

Almost half of the sample (49.3%) indicated lifetime exposure to meditation and a third (35.0%) indicated practice in the past year. Factors positively associated with persistence (lifetime and/or current) included having spoken with a meditation teacher, higher perceived effectiveness of meditation, higher meditation-positive subjective norms, lower perceived barriers, higher conscientiousness, higher wellbeing growth mindset, and retreat experience. Factors negatively associated with persistence included first exposure through various forms of technology and having a mental health motivation for practice. First exposure through a smartphone app and first exposure through friends and family were not associated with lifetime or current persistence. Findings were unchanged after controlling for demographics and applying a false discovery rate p-value adjustment.

Conclusions

These findings provide insights into factors that may promote persistence with meditation which can guide the delivery of meditation training.

Preregistration

This study was preregistered at the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/4h86s).

The contribution of transdiagnostic vulnerability factors in patients with chronic insomnia

Introduction

Various transdiagnostic factors have been associated with insomnia severity. The current study aimed to predict insomnia severity based on a group of transdiagnostic factors including neuroticism, emotion regulation, perfectionism, psychological inflexibility, anxiety sensitivity, and repetitive negative thinking after controlling for depression/anxiety symptoms and demographic characteristics.

Methods

Two hundred patients with chronic insomnia disorder were recruited from a sleep disorder clinic. Participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Clinical Perfectionism Questionnaire (CPQ), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ-10), Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21).

Results

After controlling for the confounding variables (depression/anxiety symptoms and demographic characteristics), hierarchical multiple linear regression suggested the significant association of neuroticism (BFI), cognitive reappraisal (ERQ), personal standards (CPQ), evaluative concerns (CPQ), physical concerns (ASI), cognitive concerns (ASI), and repetitive negative thinking (RTQ) with insomnia severity.

Discussion

The findings support the role of transdiagnostic factors, especially physical concerns, repetitive negative thinking, and neuroticism in chronic insomnia. Future research using longitudinal designs is required to verify the causal status of transdiagnostic variables.

Bedtime and the Budget: Longitudinal, Actor-Partner Connections between Sleep Quality and Financial Management Behaviors in Newlywed Couples

Research from the American Psychological Association suggests that approximately 67% of U.S. adults are getting more or less sleep than desired, and over 80% of U.S. adults ages 18-43 are stressed about finances. Cross-sectional evidence suggests that there may be a connection between the two. That is, some cross-sectional research suggests a contemporaneous association between sleep quality and finances. Using two waves of newlywed dyadic data (N = 1497 couples), we estimated a longitudinal structural equation model to test actor-partner associations between husbands' and wives' sleep quality and financial management behaviors. In these associations, we examined husbands' and wives' marital satisfaction as potential mediating variables. We found that both husbands' and wives' sleep quality longitudinally predicted their own and their partner's financial management behaviors. Additionally, husbands' and wives' sleep quality-through wives' marital satisfaction-indirectly and longitudinally predicted wives' financial management behaviors. As financial practitioners encourage newlywed couples to consistently experience quality sleep, their financial management behaviors may benefit. We suggest that for newlywed couples, both partners' bedtime may be longitudinally connected to both partners' management of their budget.

Sleepiness Moderates the Associations between Personality and Financial Risk Tolerance and Spending Habits among College Students

OBJECTIVES

Personality and sleep characteristics are related to financial attitudes and behaviors. However, to our knowledge no study has examined how personality and sleep may be conjointly associated with these financial outcomes. The present study examined sleepiness as a moderator of the associations between college students' personality traits and financial risk tolerance and spending habits.

METHODS

Undergraduates (N = 177, 77% women, 78% White) self-reported their personality traits and sleepiness using well-established questionnaires. Financial attitudes and behaviors were assessed via students' self-reported responses to a set of scenarios assessing risk tolerance as well as their spending habits over the prior two weeks.

RESULTS

Multiple regression analyses were run. Across five significant two-way interactions, high levels of sleepiness exacerbated risk for greater financial risk tolerance and higher spending among those characterized by high open-mindedness and low neuroticism, whereas low sleepiness increased protection for lower risk tolerance and less spending among those high in agreeableness and conscientiousness.

CONCLUSIONS

Sleepiness may act as both a vulnerability and protective factor in relations between personality and financial attitudes and behaviors. Improvements in sleepiness, which is modifiable via intervention, may have significant implications for individuals' financial well-being.

Morning affect, eveningness, and amplitude distinctness: Associations with behavioural indicators of conscientiousness

Morningness is associated with well-being, better sleep quality, and more conscientiousness, while eveningness is associated with negative emotionality, poorer sleep quality, and less conscientiousness. The current study aimed to further understanding of associations with conscientiousness by assessing specific behavioural indicators of conscientiousness, morningness-eveningness, and also the Morning Affect and Distinctness (amplitude of diurnal variation) aspects of circadian functioning. A survey of Chinese university students (N = 369, aged 18-30, mean = 19.48, SD = 1.922; 108 males, 261 females), included the Morningness-Eveningness-Stability-Scale, measures of conscientiousness, mindfulness, life satisfaction, aspects of sleep, and the Behavioural Indicators of Conscientiousness (BIC) scale. Morningness and Morning Affect were positively correlated with life satisfaction, mindfulness, better sleep quality, more conscientiousness, and with BIC including Hardworking, Self-control, and Punctuality. Distinctness showed negative correlations with these variables. Negative correlations between Eveningness and conscientiousness, and the BIC subscales of Hardworking and Cleanliness were no longer significant after controlling for Morning Affect. Mediation analysis showed that the associations between Eveningness and conscientiousness/BIC were mediated by Morning Affect. These results extend previous research by showing associations between circadian functioning and specific behavioural indicators of conscientiousness, and suggest that low Morning Affect may provide a mechanism for the relationship between Eveningness and conscientiousness.

Multidimensional Sleep and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes: Examining Self-Report and Objective Dimensions of Sleep

Purpose:

The purpose of the study was to determine the association between objective and self-report measures of sleep and cardiometabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Methods:

This study examines data on Australian adults, collected as part of the Child Health CheckPoint study. Sleep was examined in terms of actigraphy-derived sleep duration, timing, efficiency and variability; and self-report trouble sleeping. Cardiometabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes were examined in terms of body mass index and biomarkers of inflammation and dyslipidemia. Generalized estimating equations, adjusted for geographic clustering, were used to determine the association between measures of sleep and cardiometabolic risk factors.

Results:

Complete case analysis was conducted for 1017 parents (87% mothers). Both objective and self-report measures of sleep were significantly but weakly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors.

Conclusion:

Both objective and self-report measures of sleep are significantly associated with cardiometabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Self-report troubled sleep is associated with poorer cardiometabolic health, independent of actigraphy-derived sleep parameters.

Multidimensional perfectionism and poor sleep: A meta-analysis of bivariate associations

The link between perfectionism and poor sleep has been intensively debated, and previous studies on perfectionism-sleep associations have yielded mixed results. Recent research suggests that the two-dimensional perfectionism model, differentiating perfectionistic concerns (centered around concerns over imperfections) and perfectionistic strivings (centered around excessively high personal standards), may reconcile previously inconclusive findings, as both dimensions might be differentially related to sleep. Thus, to clarify the perfectionism-sleep link, this meta-analysis investigated relations of perfectionistic concerns and strivings with two well-established self-report measures of poor sleep. A systematic literature search yielded 55 effect sizes from 15 studies (N = 10,275) for inclusion in this meta-analysis. Perfectionistic concerns correlated positively with the Insomnia Severity Index (r⁺ = 0.221, 95% CI [0.102, 0.333], p = .004) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (r⁺ = 0.248, 95% CI [0.172, 0.321], p < .001). Perfectionistic strivings correlated positively, albeit less strongly, with the Insomnia Severity Index (r⁺ = 0.114, 95% CI [0.039, 0.189], p = .010), but not significantly with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (r⁺ = 0.028, 95% CI [-0.026, 0.082], p = .247). These meta-analytic findings indicate that perfectionistic concerns are substantially linked to poor sleep, whereas the relation of perfectionistic strivings with sleep is less evident. Although the identified associations were less robust for perfectionistic strivings than for perfectionistic concerns, previously used labels like "positive" or "adaptive" appear inappropriate for perfectionistic strivings in the context of sleep.

Association of Personality Traits with Life and Work of Medical Students: An Integrative Review

BACKGROUND

Personality traits are the basic components of an individual's personality. Although there are many published articles about the impact of personality traits on medical students, there is a lack of integrative reviews of existing articles. To close this gap, this review aims to summarize the impact of personality traits on medical students from two perspectives: life and work.

METHODS

The search was performed using the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and EMBASE. All publications that assessed the impact of personality traits on life and work until February 2022 were selected.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven studies were included. The results suggest that personality traits could affect life performance, health outcomes, life satisfaction, the formation of doctor-patient relationships, mastery of knowledge, academic performance, and career planning. Different personality traits can have positive or negative impacts on these aspects.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this review suggest that personality traits can affect medical students' lives and work. Therefore, based on the evaluation of the personality traits of medical students, it is necessary to design targeted courses and training for students to improve their personality traits, to bring about better results in their lives and work.

Insomnia, Time Perspective, and Personality Traits: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Non-Clinical Population

Insomnia disorder is considered a public health problem and additional studies should investigate predisposing and perpetuating factors. This study examined the relationship between Big Five personality traits, time perspective, and insomnia. In a cross-sectional study, 400 participants (227 women; age range 18-74 years) were administered the Big Five Inventory-10 items, the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). A measure of chronotype was also included for control purposes. The results show that insomniacs reported lower scores for conscientiousness and extraversion, and for past-positive (PP) and future (F) perspectives, whereas they obtained higher scores for past-negative (PN) perspectives and deviation from a balanced time perspective. The correlations confirmed these findings, but negative correlations between present-hedonistic (PH) perspective and ISI score, and between emotional stability and ISI score, were also found. The mediation analyses showed that F played an indirect role in the relationship between consciousness and ISI score, PN had an indirect effect on the relationship between emotional stability and ISI or between extraversion and insomnia, and PH had an indirect effect on the relationship between extraversion and ISI score. The current outcomes shed light on the mechanisms which serve to mediate the relationship between insomnia and personality traits.

Snoozing: an examination of a common method of waking

Study Objectives

Snoozing was defined as using multiple alarms to accomplish waking, and considered as a method of sleep inertia reduction that utilizes the stress system. Surveys measured snoozing behavior including who, when, how, and why snoozing occurs. In addition, the physiological effects of snoozing on sleep were examined via wearable sleep staging and heart rate (HR) activity, both over a long time scale, and on the days that it occurs. We aimed to establish snoozing as a construct in need of additional study.

Methods

A novel survey examined snoozing prevalence, how snoozing was accomplished, and explored possible contributors and motivators of snoozing behavior in 450 participants. Trait- and day-level surveys were combined with wearable data to determine if snoozers sleep differently than nonsnoozers, and how snoozers and nonsnoozers differ in other areas, such as personality.

Results

57% of participants snoozed. Being female, younger, having fewer steps, having lower conscientiousness, having more disturbed sleep, and being a more evening chronotype increased the likelihood of being a snoozer. Snoozers had elevated resting HR and showed lighter sleep before waking. Snoozers did not sleep less than nonsnoozers nor did they feel more sleepiness or nap more often.

Conclusions

Snoozing is a common behavior associated with changes in sleep physiology before waking, both in a trait- and state-dependent manner, and is influenced by demographic and behavioral traits. Additional research is needed, especially in detailing the physiology of snoozing, its impact on health, and its interactions with observational studies of sleep.

Systematic review of genome-wide association studies of anxiety disorders and neuroticism

OBJECTIVES

To summarise SNP associations identified by genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of anxiety disorders and neuroticism; to appraise the quality of individual studies, and to assess the ancestral diversity of study participants.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, PsychInfo and PubPsych for GWASs of anxiety disorders, non-diagnostic traits (such as anxiety sensitivity), and neuroticism, and extracted all SNPs that surpassed genome-wide significance. We graded study quality using Q-genie scores and reviewed the ancestral diversity of included participants.

RESULTS

32 studies met our inclusion criteria. A total of 563 independent significant variants were identified, of which 29 were replicated nominally in independent samples, and 3 were replicated significantly. The studies had good global quality, but many smaller studies were underpowered. Phenotypic heterogeneity for anxiety (and less so for neuroticism) seemed to reflect the complexity of capturing this trait. Ancestral diversity was poor, with 70% of studies including only populations of European ancestry.

CONCLUSION

The functionality of genes identified by GWASs of anxiety and neuroticism deserves further investigation. Future GWASs should have larger sample sizes, more rigorous phenotyping and include more ancestrally diverse population groups.

Association of insomnia symptoms and non-restorative sleep with Typus melancholicus: a Japanese general population survey

This study aimed to investigate the association between insomnia symptoms and non-restorative sleep (NRS) in individuals with Typus melancholicus, a personality trait linked to depression, in the general population. We analyzed data from a Japanese cross-sectional survey of 2519 randomly sampled adults. Typus melancholicus was evaluated using a modified version of Kasahara's Typus melancholicus inventory (modified-KTM). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations of insomnia symptoms and NRS with modified-KTM scores. We demonstrated that insomnia symptoms and NRS were both positively associated with modified-KTM scores. Our results provide evidence for an association between Typus melancholicus and insomnia.

Pathways from Neuroticism, Social Support, and Sleep Quality to Antenatal Depression during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Background: Antenatal depression is a severe public health problem. Many studies support the concept that neuroticism, social support, and sleep quality are closely related to antenatal depression. However, there is little evidence concerning the influencing pathways of these variables on antenatal depression. The aim of this study is to investigate the pathways from neuroticism, social support, and sleep quality to antenatal depression during the third trimester of pregnancy. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 773 eligible women in the third trimester of pregnancy submitted valid questionnaires from June 2016 to April 2017. Instruments with good reliability and validity were used to measure neuroticism, social support, sleep quality, and antenatal depression. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the pathways from neuroticism, social support, and sleep quality to antenatal depression during the third trimester of pregnancy. Results: Antenatal depression is shown to be positively correlated with neuroticism and negatively correlated with social support and sleep quality. Neuroticism is shown to have a direct effect and indirect effects through social support and sleep quality on antenatal depression. Conclusions: Neuroticism influences antenatal depression directly and indirectly. Social support and sleep quality are the mediators of the indirect relationship between neuroticism and antenatal depression. Our results suggest that a personality test offered to all pregnant women could help detect a vulnerability to depression, whereupon intervention in the domains of sleep and social support could prove preventive.

The moderating role of personality traits in the associations between seasonal fluctuations in chronotype and depressive symptoms

Recent research provided evidence that the well-established association between morningness-eveningness and depressive symptoms may be moderated by personality features - conscientiousness and neuroticism. In the present study, we attempted to broaden these findings using a longitudinal design. We hypothesized that these personality traits may influence the degree to which morningness-eveningness and depressiveness covary in time. Participants (n = 380) filled measures of morningness-eveningness, the Big Five personality, and depressive symptoms twice, in December and in June. Consistent with previous results, we observed a significant seasonal shift towards morningness and lower depressive symptoms from December to June. Seasonal shifts in chronotype and depressive symptoms were interrelated: a seasonal shift towards morningness was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. The strength of this association was exaggerated by neuroticism but attenuated by conscientiousness, suggesting that among neurotic individuals seasonal changes in depressive symptomatology are more dependent on seasonal shifts in morningness-eveningness but less dependent among conscientious ones. This result suggests that conscientiousness and emotional stability play a protective role against maladaptive consequences of eveningness.

The Relationship between Personality Traits and COVID-19 Anxiety: A Mediating Model

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of fear and anxiety globally. The current study attempted to investigate the association among the big five personality traits and the two factors of COVID-19 pandemic anxiety (fear and somatic concern). Further, sleep quality as a mediator between personality traits and pandemic anxiety was also assessed. The study involved a cross-sectional sample of 296 adult Indians who were administered the 10-item short version of BFI along with the COVID-19 Pandemic Anxiety Scale and Sleep Quality Scale. Path analysis was used to test the theoretical model that we proposed. The overall model has explained 6% and 36% of the variance, respectively, for the factors of fear and somatic concern of COVID-19 pandemic anxiety. The path analysis model indicated that only the trait of neuroticism showed a significant direct and indirect effect on pandemic anxiety in the sample. Those scoring high on neuroticism indicated high levels of fear as well as somatic concern. Neuroticism also showed partial mediation through sleep quality on the factor of somatic concern. Agreeableness was the only other personality trait that indicated a significantly negative relationship with the factor of somatic concern. These relationships were independent of age, gender, and occupational status. These findings provide a preliminary insight into the slightly different relationship which has emerged between personality and COVID-19 pandemic anxiety in comparison to general anxiety.

A Framework for Supporting Well-being using the Character Computing Ontology - Anxiety and Sleep Quality during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting human behavior, increasing the demand for the cooperation between psychologists and computer scientists to develop technology solutions that can help people in order to promote well-being and behavior change. According to the conceptual Character-Behavior-Situation (CBS) triad of Character Computing, behavior is driven by an individual’s character (trait and state markers) and the situation. In previous work, a computational ontology for Character Computing (CCOnto) has been introduced. The ontology can be extended with domain-specific knowledge for developing applications for inferring certain human behaviors to be leveraged for different purposes. In this paper, we present a framework for developing applications for dealing with changes in well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The framework can be used by psychology domain experts and application developers. The proposed model allows the input of heuristic rules as well as data-based rule extraction for inferring behavior. In this paper, we present how CCOnto is extended with components of physical and mental well-being and how the framework uses the extended domain ontologies in applications for evaluating sleep habits, anxiety, and depression predisposition during the COVID-19 pandemic based on user-input data.

The Relationship of Neuroticism with Sleep Quality: The Mediating Role of Emotional, Cognitive and Metacognitive Factors

BACKGROUND

Poor sleep quality is associated with a broad range of psychopathology and is a common problem among college students. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of metacognitive beliefs related to sleep, emotion regulation and a negative cognitive style related to anxiety (looming cognitive style) in the relation between neuroticism and reported sleep quality.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were 343 undergraduates from three universities in Tehran (56.3% females, Mean age = 22.01 ± 2.74 years).

METHOD

Data were gathered with a questionnaire packet that included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Metacognitions Questionnaire-Insomnia (MCQ-I), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Looming Maladaptive Style Questionnaire (LMSQ) and Neuroticism subscale of NEO-PI-R.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling analyses supported a proposed model (R² = 37%) which proposed that neuroticism both directly and indirectly linked to reported sleep quality through metacognitions related to sleep, cognitive reappraisal and looming cognitive style (χ2 = 1194.87, p < .001; CFI = 0.93, NFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.065, GFI = 0.92, SRMR = 0.069, IFI = 0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide evidence for the impact of neuroticism on reported sleep quality through metacognitive, cognitive and emotional factors. The result suggest that special attention should be paid to these factors in the treatment and psychopathology of sleep quality.

The Moderating Role of Sleep Quality on the Association between Neuroticism and Frontal Executive Function in Older Adults

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND

Personality traits are regarded as risk factors for cognitive impairment in older adults, while sleep disturbance and physical inactivity are also considered as modifiable risk factors. Therefore, it could be beneficial to investigate the effects of those modifiable risk factors on the relationship between personality traits and cognitive functions, to prepare appropriate strategies for mitigating cognitive impairment.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 155 cognitively unimpaired older adults were included.

METHODS

All participants underwent cognitive function tests using the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery and examinations for personality traits using the Big Five Inventory. Individual physical activity and sleep quality were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. A hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis was performed to demonstrate the direct association between personality traits and cognitive functions, and the multiple moderator analysis was used to analyze the moderating effects of lifestyle factors on this association.

RESULTS

Among the five personality traits, only neuroticism was negatively associated with the frontal executive and visuospatial functions after controlling age, sex, and years of education. Interestingly, the negative relationship between neuroticism and frontal executive function was alleviated in older adults with higher sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that higher sleep quality has significant moderating effects on the negative association between neuroticism and frontal executive functions in older adults, which suggests intervention for improving sleep quality such as cognitive behavioral therapy can be considered in older adults who have personality traits associated with a high risk of cognitive impairment.

Conscientiousness and Cardiometabolic Risk: A Test of the Health Behavior Model of Personality Using Structural Equation Modeling

BACKGROUND

High trait conscientiousness is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk, and health behaviors are a putative but relatively untested pathway that may explain this association.

PURPOSE

To explore the role of key health behaviors (diet, physical activity, substance use, and sleep) as links between conscientiousness and cardiometabolic risk.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional analysis of 494 healthy, middle-aged working adults (mean age = 42.7 years, 52.6% women, 81.0% White), participants provided self-reports of conscientiousness, physical activity, substance use, diet, and sleep, and wore monitors over a 7-day monitoring period to assess sleep (Actiwatch-16) and physical activity (SenseWear Pro3). Cardiometabolic risk was expressed as a second-order latent variable from a confirmatory factor analysis involving insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, obesity, and blood pressure. Direct, indirect, and specific indirect effect pathways linking conscientiousness to health behaviors and cardiometabolic risk were examined. Unstandardized indirect effects for each health behavior class were computed separately using bootstrapped samples.

RESULTS

After controlling for demographics (sex, age, race, and education), conscientiousness showed the predicted, inverse association with cardiometabolic risk. Among the examined health behaviors, objectively-assessed sleep midpoint variability (b = -0.003, p = .04), subjective sleep quality (b = -0.003, p = .025), and objectively-assessed physical activity (b = -0.11, p = .04) linked conscientiousness to cardiometabolic risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Physical activity and sleep partially accounted for the relationship between conscientiousness and cardiometabolic risk.

Investigating the relationship between personality, chronotype, computer game addiction, and sleep quality of high school students: A structural equation modelling approach

This study examines the relationship between high school students' age, gender, personality, computer game addiction, chronotype, and sleep quality using structural equation modelling. For this purpose, the study was planned according to the correlational research design, one of the most common quantitative research methods. The sample of the study consisted of 922 students who accepted to participate and completed the scales. Of the 922 high school students in the sample, 528 were girls, and 394 were boys. In the study, the Computer Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents, Sleep Quality Scale, Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), and Big Five Inventory were used to measure the variables. Among the variables involved, personality traits, such as consciousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience, were significantly related with morningness-eveningness. Besides, gender and being evening or morning types were found to be significantly related with game addiction. However, sleep quality was predicted by computer game addiction and morningness-eveningness. It was found that the fit indices of the model have an acceptable and good fit in explaining the variables.

Sleep and psychological characteristics in habitual self-awakeners and forced awakeners

Previous studies described the modifications of physiological and behavioural variables associated with self-awakening, while only few studies assessed subjective sleep quality and psychological characteristics in habitual self-awakeners. Here we investigated self-reported sleep habits and features, as well as psychological variables of habitual self-awakeners and forced-awakeners, with special regard to subjective sleep quality, personality characteristics, anxiety and depression symptoms. In our sample, the prevalence of habitual self-awakeners was 15.1%. Compared to forced-awakeners, habitual self-awakeners showed more regular sleep/wake schedules and were more frequently morning types. Moreover, habitual self-awakeners referred to be more satisfied about their sleep, to wake up more easily in the morning, to need less time to get out of bed and to feel more refreshed upon awakening than forced-awakeners. We also observed an association between the habit of self-awakening and the "ability" to set the awakening to an unusual time. Concerning psychological features, habitual self-awakeners showed higher scores in Conscientiousness and Openness and lower scores in Extraversion compared to forced-awakeners, whereas no differences between groups emerged for anxiety and depression levels. In conclusion, our findings point to an association between the habit of self-awakening and good subjective sleep quality. In this perspective, future research should objectively test in detail the effects of the self-awakening habit on sleep structure and organization, taking into account also microstructural sleep features.

Mental health indices may fully mediate the relationship between morningness-eveningness and disease control among adult asthma patients

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the association between morningness-eveningness and disease control with consideration of mental state as a mediator and the control of confounding factors among adult asthma patients.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which included a nonrandom sample of N = 66 patients from an outpatient unit with a confirmed asthma diagnosis, who gave an informed consent and completed a set of questionnaires: a survey comprising questions about sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the Asthma Control Test (ACT), the Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Mediation models were created separately for each GHQ-28 dimension (somatic symptoms, anxiety/insomnia, social dysfunction and depressive symptoms), for a total score and for four GHQ-28 dimensions together, considered as mediators.Results: Low morning affect was related to poor disease symptom control among patients with asthma. The effect was fully mediated by non-psychotic mental health indices. Evening-time preference was associated with a rise in asthma control, and mediated by somatic symptoms and anxiety/insomnia, when controlled for morning affect.Conclusions: The current study underlines the significance of assessment of both individual morningness-eveningness preference and mental health in the management of asthma symptoms.

The impact of social networks on sleep among a cohort of college students

Background

Sleep duration and quality are associated with physical and mental wellbeing. This paper examines social network effects on individual level change in the sleep quantity and quality from late adolescence to emerging adulthood and its associated factors, including the influence of peers on sleep behavior and the impact of changes in network size.

Methods

We use sleep data from 619 undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame obtained via Fitbit devices as part of the NetHealth project. The data were collected between August 16, 2015 and May 13, 2017. We model trends in sleep behaviors using latent growth-curve models.

Results

Controlling for the many factors known to impact sleep quantity and quality, we find two social network effects: increasing network size is associated with less sleep and a student's sleep levels are influenced by his or her peers. While we do not find any consistent decline in sleep quantity over the 637 days, daily fluctuations in sleep quantity are associated with changes in network size and the composition of a student's network. As a student's network gets bigger, s/he sleeps less, and when a student's contacts sleep more (or less) than s/he does, the student becomes more like his or her contacts and sleeps more (or less).

Conclusions

Social networks can and do impact sleep, especially sleep quantity. In contexts where students want to have larger networks, the difficulties of increasing network size and maintaining larger networks negatively impact sleep. Because of peer influence, the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve sleep practices could be increased by leveraging student social networks to help diffuse better sleep habits.

•

The sleep habits of 619 undergraduates were traced with Fitbit devices for 637 days.

•

Their sleep quantity measures were relatively stable but affect by peers.

•

Their sleep quality was slightly getting worse but not affected by peers.

Bedtime Procrastination Partially Mediates the Impact of Personality Characteristics on Daytime Fatigue Resulting From Sleep Deficiency

Getting good and sufficiently long sleep at night is important for health, effective functioning, and well-being. However, insufficient or delayed sleep are important and growing social problems that can lead to fatigue, poor performance, deterioration of well-being, circadian rhythm disturbances, and health problems. One of the significant determinants of sleep deprivation is bedtime procrastination, which is understood as the individual tendency to postpone going to bed in the absence of any external circumstances that force one to do so. Nowadays, this phenomenon is widespread in various social groups, especially among students. Despite the high prevalence of bedtime procrastination, its relationship with personality characteristics has not yet been thoroughly studied. The presented research aimed to identify the possible impact of the basic dispositional personality traits and trait-like personality characteristics on bedtime procrastination and daytime fatigue resulting from a deficiency of sleep at night. The responses from 399 university students who voluntarily took part in an internet survey were analyzed. The severity of bedtime procrastination was assessed using the Bedtime Procrastination Scale. Five basic dispositional personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness/intellect) and their components (aspects) were measured using the International Personality Item Pool - Big Five Aspects Scale. Self-esteem and general self-efficacy were assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Perceived locus of control was measured using the Delta Questionnaire. The direct and indirect relationships between personality variables and daytime fatigue were investigated using linear regression models with bedtime procrastination as a mediator variable. Industriousness and orderliness, both of which are aspects of conscientiousness, were found to be indirectly associated with daytime fatigue as a consequence of their impact on bedtime procrastination. Volatility and withdrawal, both of which are aspects of neuroticism, were found to be directly related to daytime fatigue without the intermediary impact of bedtime procrastination. Self-esteem was shown to be associated with experiencing daytime fatigue, both directly and indirectly through bedtime procrastination. General self-efficacy and external locus of control were associated with daytime fatigue only directly, without the intermediary role of bedtime procrastination. The results of our research indicate that personality factors may not only play an important role in shaping sleep-related health behaviors, but they also affect well-being during the day.

The Efficacy of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for College Students Under Extremely Stressful Conditions

Objectives

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI), called Koru mindfulness, among college students.

Methods

Undergraduate students (N = 34) participated in a 4-week mindfulness curriculum embedded within a college course, while a control group (N = 35) taking a different course did not. Notably, the intervention coincided with the start of a state-wide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

Despite the additional external stress, there was a significant main effect and a significant interaction between the intervention and time for state mindfulness, (the treatment group experienced increased state mindfulness). There was a significant main effect (higher for the control group) on coronavirus worry and a significant interaction between the intervention and time for perceived stress, with the treatment/control group experiencing decreased/increased stress over time. There was also a significant interaction between the intervention and time for sleep problems with the intervention group experiencing declines in sleep problems over time and also being more likely to experience optimal amounts of sleep over time.

Conclusions

The Koru intervention effectively increased state mindfulness, decreased stress, and improved sleep, suggesting that it is robust even under extremely stressful conditions. This study adds to the growing evidence that MBIs can play an important role in addressing rising concerns regarding the mental health of college students.

The moderating role of personality traits in the relationship between chronotype and depressive symptoms

Due to the undeniably morning orientation of the social clock, the evening chronotype can be associated with negative consequences, both at the affective and cognitive levels. Evening-oriented individuals are more susceptible to affective disorders, show poorer educational achievements and consume stimulants more often than morning-oriented individuals. However, little is known about potential factors that may attenuate or amplify these negative emotional consequences of the evening preference. Thus, our aim was to examine whether personality traits interplay with chronotype in predicting depressive symptoms. We assessed the Big Five and the Big Two personality traits, morningness-eveningness and depressive symptoms in an online sample of 913 Polish individuals (468 females, 445 males), aged 18-35 (M = 26.34, SD = 5.15). Eveningness, higher neuroticism, lower conscientiousness and lower alpha-stability were associated with higher depressive symptoms. The magnitude of the association between eveningness and depressive symptoms decreased with higher conscientiousness and alpha-stability, as well as with lower neuroticism. In conclusion, high neuroticism, low conscientiousness and low alpha-stability increase the risk of depressive symptoms, particularly among evening chronotypes. The patients' chronotypes and personality traits should be taken into account in both the prevention and diagnostics of depression.