The role of preoccupation in attributions for poor sleep

Background and purpose: Studies examining the impact of daytime preoccupations with sleep are rare. The aim of the present study was to determine whether daytime preoccupations mediate the relationship between anxiety and attributions for poor sleep within older adults. Method: A cross-sectional study examined the mediational role of sleep preoccupations in the link between anxiety and attributions for poor sleep in a sample of late-life insomniacs (n = 92). Results: The findings show that a preoccupation with sleep during the day mediates the relationship between anxiety and both sleep effort and sleep pattern problem attributions but does not mediate cognitive arousal attributions for insomnia and only partially mediates the relationship between anxiety and physical tension attributions for insomnia. Conclusions: The results are discussed in terms of the existing models of insomnia and cognitive intervention strategies.