Anxiety and depression mediate the relationship between self-disgust and insomnia disorder

There is limited research on the association between insomnia and negative self-conscious emotions. This study assessed if individuals with insomnia reported higher scores in self-disgust than normal sleepers and if the association between insomnia and self-disgust was mediated by depression and anxiety.

Twenty-seven individuals with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, insomnia disorder and 30 normal sleepers completed self-reported measures of self-disgust, anxiety, and depression.

Individuals with insomnia reported significantly higher scores in self-disgust, anxiety, and depression than normal sleepers. Insomnia significantly predicted self-disgust, but this association was explained by higher scores in anxiety and depression among people with insomnia.

This is the first study that demonstrated the association between clinically-diagnosed insomnia in young adults and self-disgust, and highlighted the mediating effects of anxiety and depression.