Attachment insecurity and sleep disturbances: Exploring the association in individuals and their bedpartners, and the effects of co-sleeping behaviours
Date
2024-06-19
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Doctoral
Abstract
A growing body of research indicates that individual differences in attachment insecurity are related to sleep-related variables. In general, greater attachment insecurity (i.e., anxiety and/or discomfort in close relationships) has been found to be associated with sleep problems, such as pre-sleep hyperarousal (Palagini et al., 2018), and poorer sleep quality (Maunder et al., 2011). Research to date has primarily studied samples of individuals. When studying heterosexual couples, relationships between the variables from one type of couple member (e.g., male partners) are often referred to as “actor effects.” Research conducted with couples indicates that attachment insecurity is also associated with the sleep quality of relationship partners (i.e., “partner effects”). Further research exploring actor and partner effects involving adult attachment and sleep is warranted. The goal of Study 1 was to replicate actor and partner effects regarding adult attachment characteristics and ratings of sleep quality. In Study 2, the goal was to identify variables likely to be moderators (e.g., co-sleeping arrangements) and mediators (e.g., pre-sleep hyperarousal) of these associations. Study 1 utilized the actor-partner interdependence model to study attachment and sleep quality in a sample of 173 couples. It found actor and partner effects of attachment anxiety, but not avoidance. Study 2 involved a series of multiple regression analyses of attachment variables and confounds (age, depression, and health) on a variety of sleep-related variables in a community sample (N = 309). Attachment anxiety was a robust predictor of electronic device use in bed, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, pre-sleep cognitive arousal, and pre-sleep arousing activities, as well as a global sleep outcome (i.e., daytime sleepiness). Attachment avoidance was a robust predictor of pre-sleep eating and drinking and pre-sleep cognitive arousal. Both attachment dimensions predicted the frequency of pleasant and neutral pre-sleep conversations with partners. Only one variable (dysfunctional beliefs about sleep) emerged as a mediator between attachment anxiety and a sleep outcome (i.e., daytime sleepiness). This program of research highlights the potential impacts that one's own and partners’ attachment and pre-sleep activity have on sleep.
Description
Keywords
Attachment insecurity, Sleep disturbance, Co-sleeping
Citation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Psychology
Program
Psychology