| Description |
The distress of not getting restful, restorative sleep can have damaging effects on interpersonal relationships, and stressful relationships can, in turn, disturb sleep. The associations between sleep and interpersonal functioning are not well understood. In addition, the literature on individual differences in mindfulness and its correlation with sleep is growing fast, but is still limited. For example, it is not clear if mindfulness and interpersonal difficulties are independent or overlapping correlates of sleep quality. This study examines the independent and interactive associations between interpersonal functioning and mindfulness with sleep quality. Students at the University of Utah (N=293) completed several questionnaires relating to interpersonal functioning. Included in those surveys were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; Buysse, Reynolds, Monk, Berman, & Kupfer, 1989), the Test of Negative Social Exchange (TENSE; Ruehlman & Karoly, 1991), the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS; Baer, Smith, & Allen, 2004), and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL-12; Cohen, Mermelstein, Kamarck, & Hoberman, 1985). Using multiple regression analysis, mindfulness and negative interpersonal functioning had significant, independent firstorder associations with sleep quality (p<.01). The results of this study suggest that low levels of mindfulness and high levels of negative social interactions could both be related to overall sleep quality. This data could be used to help refine interventions for people who have sleep difficulties. |
