Abstract
Dispositional optimism has been related to beneficial influences on physical health outcomes. However, its links to global sleep quality and the psychological mediators responsible for such associations are less studied. This study thus examined if trait optimism predicted global sleep quality, and if measures of subjective well-being were statistical mediators of such links. A community sample of 175 participants (93 men, 82 women) completed measures of trait optimism, depression, and life satisfaction. Global sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results indicated that trait optimism was a strong predictor of better PSQI global sleep quality. Moreover, this association was mediated by depression and life satisfaction in both single and multiple mediator models. These results highlight the importance of optimism for the restorative process of sleep, as well as the utility of multiple mediator models in testing distinct psychological pathways.
References
Alarcon, G. M., Bowling, N. A., & Khazon, S. (2013). Great expectations: A meta-analytic examination of optimism and hope. Personality and Individual Differences, 54, 821–827. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2012.12.004
Aspinwall, L. G., & Taylor, S. E. (1997). A stitch in time: Self-regulation and proactive coping. Psychological Bulletin, 121, 417–436. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.121.3.417
Buysse, D. J., Hall, M. L., Strollo, P. J., Kamarck, T. W., Owens, J., Lee, L., et al. (2008). Relationships between the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and clinical/polysomnographic measures in a community sample. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 4, 563–571.
Buysse, D. J., Reynolds, C. F., Monk, T. H., Berman, S. R., & Kupfer, D. J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: A new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Research, 28, 193–213.
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2014). Dispositional optimism. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 18, 293–299. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2014.02.003
Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Alper, C. M., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Turner, R. B. (2009). Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169, 62–67. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.505
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment,. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13
DuBois, C. M., Lopez, O. V., Beale, E. E., Healy, B. C., Boehm, J. K., & Huffman, J. C. (2015). Relationships between positive psychological constructs and health outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review. International Journal of Cardiology, 195, 265–280. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.05.121
Grandner, M. A., Kripke, D. F., Yoon, I. Y., & Youngstedt, S. D. (2006). Criterion validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: Investigation in a non-clinical sample. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 4, 129–136. doi:10.1111/j.1479-8425.2006.00207.x
Haack, M., & Mullington, J. M. (2005). Sustained sleep restriction reduces emotional and physical well-being. Pain, 119, 56–64. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2005.09.011
Hall, M., Buysse, D. J., Nofzinger, E. A., Reynolds, C. F., Thompson, W., Mazumdar, S., et al. (2008). Financial strain is a significant correlate of sleep continuity disturbances in late-life. Biological Psychology, 77, 217–222. doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2007.10.012
Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). Stress and the aging immune system. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 18, 114–119. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2003.09.005
Irwin, M. R. (2014). Why sleep is important for health: A psychoneuroimmunology perspective. Annual Review of Psychology. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205
Judd, C. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1981). Process analysis estimating mediation in treatment evaluations. Evaluation Review, 5, 602–619. doi:10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004
King, C. R., Knutson, K. L., Rathouz, P. J., Sidney, S., Liu, K., & Lauderdale, D. S. (2008). Short sleep duration and incident coronary artery calcification. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 300, 2859–2866. doi:10.1001/jama.2008.867
Lau, E. Y. Y., Hui, C. H., Cheung, S. F., & Lam, J. (2015). Bidirectional relationship between sleep and optimism with depressive mood as a mediator: A longitudinal study of Chinese working adults. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 79, 428–434. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.09.010
Lemola, S., Räikkönen, K., Gomez, V., & Allemand, M. (2013). Optimism and self-esteem are related to sleep. Results from a large community-based sample. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 20, 567–571. doi:10.1007/s12529-012-9272-z
Lemola, S., Räikkönen, K., Scheier, M. F., Matthews, K. A., Pesonen, A. K., Heinonen, K., et al. (2011). Sleep quantity, quality and optimism in children. Journal of Sleep Research, 20, 12–20. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2010.00856.x
Lyness, J. M., Noel, T. K., Cox, C., King, D. A., Conwell, Y., & Caine, E. D. (1997). Screening for depression in elderly primary care patients: A comparison of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Archives of Internal Medicinerchives of Internal Medicine, 157, 449–454.
Mezick, E. J., Matthews, K. A., Hall, M., Strollo, P. J., Buysse, D. J., Kamarck, T. W., et al. (2008). Influence of race and socioeconomic status on sleep: Pittsburgh SleepSCORE project. Psychosomatic Medicine, 70, 410–416. doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e31816fdf21
Morin, C. M., & Espie, C. A. (2003). Insomnia: A clinician’s guide to assessment and treatment (Vol. 1). New York: Springer.
Nes, L. S., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2006). Dispositional optimism and coping: A meta-analytic review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10, 235–251. doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr1003_3
Nes Solberg, L., Evans, D. R., & Segerstrom, S. C. (2009). Optimism and college retention: Mediation by motivation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 39, 1887–1912.
Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (1993). Review of the satisfaction with life scale. Psychological Assessment, 5, 164–172. doi:10.1037/1040-3590.5.2.164
Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (2008). The satisfaction with life scale and the emerging construct of life satisfaction. Journal of Positive Psychology, 3, 137–152.
Peters, M. L., Meevissen, Y. M. C., & Hanssen, M. M. (2013). Specificity of the best possible self intervention for increasing optimism: Comparison with a gratitude intervention. Terapia Psycológica, 31, 93–100. doi:10.4067/S0718-48082013000100009
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2004). SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers, 36, 717–731. doi:10.3758/BF03206553
Radloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1, 385–401. doi:10.1177/014662167700100306
Rasmussen, H. N., Scheier, M. F., & Greenhouse, J. B. (2009). Optimism and physical health: A meta-analytic review. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37, 239–256. doi:10.1007/s12160-009-9111-x
Robles, T. F., & Carroll, J. E. (2011). Restorative biological processes and health. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5, 518–537. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2011.00368.x
Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): A reevaluation of the life orientation test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67, 1063–1078. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1063
Segerstrom, S. C., & Solberg Nes, L. (2006). When goals conflict but people prosper: The case of dispositional optimism. Journal of Research in Personality, 40, 675–693. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2005.08.001
Sergeant, S., & Mongrain, M. (2014). An online optimism intervention reduces depression in pessimistic individuals. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82, 263–274. doi:10.1037/a0035536
Sing, C. Y., & Wong, W. S. (2011). The effect of optimism on depression: The mediating and moderating role of insomnia. Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 1251–1258. doi:10.1177/1359105311407366
Uchino, B. N., Bowen, K., Carlisle, M., & Birmingham, W. (2012a). Psychological pathways linking social support to health outcomes: A visit with the “ghosts” of research past, present, and future. Social Science and Medicine, 74, 949–957. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.11.023
Uchino, B. N., Cawthon, R. M., Smith, T. W., Light, K. C., McKenzie, J., Carlisle, M., et al. (2012b). Social relationships and health: Is feeling positive, negative, or both (ambivalent) about your social ties related to telomeres? Health Psychology, 31, 789–796. doi:10.1037/a0026836
Acknowledgments
Support for this research was generously provided by Grant Number R21 AG029239 from the National Institute on Aging.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
Bert N. Uchino, Matthew Cribbet, Robert G. Kent de Grey, Sierra Cronan, Ryan Trettevik, and Timothy W. Smith declares that they have no conflict of interest.
Human and animal rights and Informed consent
All procedures followed were in accordance with ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Uchino, B.N., Cribbet, M., de Grey, R.G.K. et al. Dispositional optimism and sleep quality: a test of mediating pathways. J Behav Med 40, 360–365 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-016-9792-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-016-9792-0