University of Twente Student Theses
Do sleep disturbances indirectly affect the relationship between experiential avoidance and depression?
Völler, Susanne (2017) Do sleep disturbances indirectly affect the relationship between experiential avoidance and depression?
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| Abstract: | Experiential avoidance is a maladaptive coping strategy as it evokes depression. Therefore, it is meaningful to study the working mechanism of experiential avoidance. In this study, the cognitive bias of rumination is analysed. It is stated that individuals ruminate about avoided negative experiences, which consequently dominate the mind. While sleeping individuals proceed these aversive experiences as well which can further result in sleep disturbances. The aim of this study is to determine the indirect effect of sleep disturbances on the relationship between experiential avoidance and depression. As depression stresses an individual’s life and represents a societal burden, the prevention of its onset by exploring possible causes is needed. A cross-sectional survey-based research design was used with a convenient snowball sample (n = 113). Four questionnaires about biographic background, experiential avoidance, sleep disturbances, and depression were administered. Experiential avoidance, sleep disturbances, and depression were found to have a positive correlation. Experiential avoidance predicts sleep disturbances and depression. Furthermore, sleep disturbances predict depression. However, no indirect effect of sleep disturbances on the relationship between experiential avoidance and depression could be found. Practical implications: The variable sleep disturbances needs to be defined in more detail. It is still unknown whether sleep is a conscious or unconscious state. Hence, it is difficult to determine their effect on thinking about experiences. The results give insight into the relationship between experiential avoidance, sleep disturbances and depression, and contribute to the scientific knowledge about the causes for depression. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72647 |
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