A comparison of attention bias paradigms related to insomnia

Attentional bias to sleep related stimuli by poor sleepers has been reported as a factor in initiating and maintaining sleep disturbance. In this study, three paradigms (Flicker, Posner, and Stroop) were used in comparison to further investigate the role of attentional biases in Primary Insomnia. Participants (n=117) were split into good sleepers and poor sleepers using a median split with the Pittsburgh Insomnia Rating Scale (PIRS). Using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) as the covariate, two-way mixed modality ANCOVAs were conducted for each paradigm revealing no significant differences in word type, quality of sleep, or the interaction of these variables. Using only the poor sleepers, a one-way ANOVA was conducted to compare the paradigms to each other revealing no significant difference in how attentional bias is measured by them. There does not seem to be a relationship to sleep distress and attentional bias in the current sample. The findings may suggest a difference in the perception of sleep distress for the college population.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A. Applied Psychology and Professional Mental Health Counseling

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Maloney, Nathaniel

Contributors dc:contributor

• Angelone, Bonnie

• Insomnia
• Psychiatric and Mental Health

Repository record dc:identifier

https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/217

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rdw.rowan.edu:etd-1216