Predictors of self-efficacy for sleep in primary care

To identify factors impacting self-efficacy for sleep. Specifically, the aims were to examine associations between self-efficacy for sleep and (1) socio-demographic variables and (2) potential predictors including sleep severity, depression, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, quality of life/health status and insomnia treatment acceptability for behavioural treatment.

Between 50 and 70 million Americans experience insomnia. Costs of treatment, absenteeism and reduced productivity exceed 42 billion dollars annually. Medication for insomnia can result in impaired memory, fatigue, injuries, reduced health, medication habituation, difficulties in work and relationships and enhanced healthcare usage. Studies have suggested that behavioural management can be beneficial; however, factors contributing to success with behavioural management are unclear.

This quantitative correlational study used inventory-based measures.

The Self-Efficacy for Sleep Scale, Insomnia Treatment Acceptability Scale, SF-8™ Health Survey, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and Dysfunctional Beliefs about Sleep Scale were completed by 236 individuals with significant insomnia as measured by Insomnia Severity Index scores of 8 or higher.

A significant association was found between sleep self-efficacy and race (p < 0·01). All predicator variables except one were found to be significantly correlated with the self-efficacy for sleep (p < 0·01).

For behavioural self-management strategies to be effective for treating insomnia, these reported predictors may need to be assessed and managed.

These findings suggest that nurses may want to assess insomnia severity, health status, level of depression and beliefs about sleep prior to beginning or when encountering barriers to the successful utilisation of behavioural approaches to manage sleep. If a patient is found to possess these limiting factors, the nurse may want to address these issues through medication, education and/or other behavioural approaches. Once addressed, the patient may find behavioural management for insomnia to be quite successful.