The Comparison of Emotional Dysregulation and Experiential Avoidance in Patients with Insomnia and Non-Clinical Population

Introduction: Given the harmful effects of insomnia and the need for a better understanding of the disorder as well as providing proper care, the present study aimed to compare the emotional dysregulation and experiential avoidance in patients with insomnia and non-clinical individuals.

Methods: To conduct the present cross-sectional study, two sample groups were selected randomly. The first group consisted of 100 patients with insomnia who visited the Sleep Disorders Research Center at Farabi hospital in Kermanshah, Iran. The second group consisted of 100 administrative staff of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) without sleep problems. For data collection, three questionnaires were used: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (EAQ). The data were analyzed through the analysis of variance, using the SPSS version 13.

Results: The total mean score of difficulties in emotion regulation in patients with insomnia and non-clinical people measured 101.18 (45.60) and 86.77 (21.88), respectively, and the mean scores of experiential avoidance measured 37.53 (12.33) and 28.74 (21.88) in patients with insomnia and non-clinical people, respectively. The results of the present study revealed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of emotional dysregulation and experiential avoidance.

Conclusion: According to the current results, it is suggested that therapists consider the role of emotional dysregulation and experiential avoidance in the treatment and care of chronic insomnia. To solve these problems, it is recommended third-wave therapies be used, especially acceptance and commitment therapy.