EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SLEEP, EMOTION REGULATION AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF EMOTION REGULATION

Abstract

Sleep deprivation has become a growing interest in the field of psychology especially since it has been found to be associated with a myriad of psychological conditions. However, the exact mechanisms behind this association has yet to be established. This study proposes that emotion regulation sit at the intercept between sleep and psychopathology based on its established association with both sleep and psychopathology. The present study examined the relationship between sleep quality, emotion regulation and three psychopathologies, namely, depression, anxiety and eating disorders. It was hypothesized that sleep quality would predict depression, anxiety and eating disorders via its effect on emotion regulation. In other words, emotion regulation was expected to mediate the relationship between sleep quality and psychopathology. Results of the study provided partial support for this hypothesis. Emotion regulation was found to partially mediate the relationship between sleep quality and depresssion and anxiety but was found to fully mediate the relationship between sleep quality and eating disorder symptomology. These findings provide preliminary insights into the mechanisms that drive the relationship between sleep and psychopathology.