1096 EXPERIENTIAL AVOIDANCE PREDICTS DEPRESSION THROUGH PERCEIVED STRESS, PRE-SLEEP AROUSAL, AND POOR SLEEP QUALITY

Abstract

Introduction: The link between maladaptive emotion regulation, such as experiential avoidance (EA), sleep health, and depression is not well understood. It is suggested that EA exacerbates depression due to the impact that avoidance strategies have on an individual's experience of emotion, which is strongly associated with perceived stress. Perceived stress may increase pre-sleep arousal, which is disruptive to sleep, thus increasing risk for depression through the established association between sleep disruption and depression risk. However, these relationships have not been examined simultaneously. The current study investigated the association between EA and depression, through which perceived stress, pre-sleep arousal and poor sleep quality may play a role. Methods: 347 participants were recruited through Amazon MTURK. Participants completed an online survey containing validated measures of EA, perceived stress and reactivity, sleep quality (SQ), and depression symptoms. Of this sample, 47 were missing data on at least one variable of interest and were excluded from final analyses (n = 300). Results: The PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to run a serial mediation model using EA as the independent variable, depression symptoms as the dependent variable, and perceived stress, pre-sleep arousal, and SQ as serial mediators. The model was significant, F[4, 295] = 101.61, R2 = .58, p < .001 . There was a significant reduction in the direct effect of EA on depression (beta = .65, t = 14.84, p < .001), indicating a significant partial indirect effect through perceived stress, pre-sleep arousal, and sleep quality (beta = .35, t = 6.78, p < .001). Conclusion: The findings replicate previous research suggesting EA predicts depression symptoms; however, the relationship partially functions through the effect that EA has on perceived stress. The increase in perceived stress appears to increase pre-sleep arousal ultimately impacting SQ. Poor sleep quality is subsequently related to depression symptom severity. Overall, the findings may suggest that addressing maladaptive strategies related to emotional reactivity may reduce arousal at bedtime and improve sleep quality, potentially reducing depression symptom severity and risk for depression.