Insomnia and Neuroticism in Pakistani Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Sleep disorders, especially insomnia, are a major concern in medical education.
• Neuroticism is linked to sleep disturbances in healthcare trainees.
• Research on these links is limited in South Asian medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate insomnia symptom prevalence in Pakistani medical students.
• Examine personality correlates, specifically neuroticism.
• Identify environmental factors associated with insomnia.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 364 undergraduate medical/dental students in Peshawar, Pakistan.
• Data collected during examination months using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI).
• Statistical analyses included correlations, chi-square tests, and multivariate regression.

Main Results:

• 47.0% reported severe insomnia symptoms (ISI 22-28); 89.0% had subthreshold symptoms (ISI ≥ 8).
• High neuroticism (NEO-FFI ≥ 37) found in 59.8% of students.
• Robust cross-sectional association between neuroticism and insomnia severity (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• High insomnia symptom severity observed in Pakistani medical students, linked to neuroticism.
• Cross-sectional design limits causality claims; findings may reflect examination stress.
• Further longitudinal research is essential to establish causal relationships and intervention efficacy.