Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Psychology
Date of Award
8-2020
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Jameson Hirsch
Committee Members
Julia Dodd, Ginette Blackhart
Abstract
Sleep disturbances are prevalent in primary care patients and can be exacerbated by interpersonal dysfunction and depression. As well, thwarted interpersonal needs (TIN), including thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, contribute to depression. However, the presence of gratitude, a cognitive-emotional protective factor, may improve symptoms. We longitudinally examined the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relation between TIN and sleep disturbances, and the moderating role of gratitude on the TIN-sleep disturbances and depression-sleep disturbances linkages. Our primary care patient sample (N = 223) completed self-report surveys at baseline (T1) and at a one-year follow-up (T2; n = 97). Patients with greater TIN reported more depressive symptoms (T1) and, in turn, increased sleep disturbances (T2). Gratitude did not moderate the belongingness model but, in the burdensomeness model, buffered the linkage between burdensomeness and sleep disturbances and strengthened the relation between depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Altier, Heather R., "Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, Depression, and Sleep Disturbances in Primary Care: Does Gratitude Help You Sleep?" (2020). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3797. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3797
Copyright
Copyright by Heather Renee Altier.