Longitudinal study on perfectionism and sleep disturbance

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by striving for flawlessness.
• Sleep disturbances are common and can significantly impact mental and physical health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive relationship between different facets of perfectionism and the development of self-reported sleep disturbances over a two-year period.

Main Methods:

• The Hewitt-Flett Perfectionism Scale assessed self-oriented, socially-prescribed (SPP), and other-oriented perfectionism.
• Sleep disturbance was measured by self-reported difficulty falling asleep and sleep maintenance issues.
• Longitudinal data were collected from 870 students at baseline, with follow-ups at 1 year (n=592) and 2 years (n=305).

Main Results:

• Individuals with persistent insomnia exhibited significantly higher baseline SPP scores compared to those without sleep problems.
• Baseline SPP was a significant positive predictor of difficulties in falling asleep at both 1-year and 2-year follow-ups.
• Baseline SPP also significantly predicted difficulties in maintaining sleep at both follow-up points.

Conclusions:

• Socially-prescribed perfectionism (SPP) emerged as the most robust predictor of sleep disturbances over time.
• These findings identify SPP as a crucial factor contributing to persistent sleep problems, offering a novel insight into the perfectionism-sleep relationship.