Sleep, mental health, and help-seeking

Title of publication

Exploring poor sleep, mental health, and help-seeking intention in university students

Abstract 

Objective: University students experience common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress along with poor-sleep quality. This study explores the relationships between these concepts and help-seeking intention in a general
Australian university student population. The primary aim was to examine the moderating effects of sleep quality on help-seeking intention for common mental health problems. The secondary aim was to examine sex differences in help-seeking behaviour. Method: University students, between 18 and 55 years of age ( M = 30.18, SD = 11.37, N = 117) of which 98 were female, completed an on-line survey assessing help-seeking intentions, common mental health problems, and sleep quality. Results: High levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were signi fi cantly associated with decreased sleep quality or decreased help-seeking intention. A multiple regression analysis predicted that students were more likely to report intention to seek help if they had lower scores of depression, but higher scores of stress. Help-seeking intention levels were lower for males than females. Poor-sleep quality was not found to be a moderator of help-seeking intention. Conclusion: Although the proposed moderation effect of poor-sleep quality on the relationship between common mental health problems and help-seeking intention was not supported, the study advanced our knowledge of university students ’ low intention to seek help, despite high scores of poor-sleep quality. Implications for on-campus interventions and raising awareness among students about these issues are discussed.

Cite

Zochil, M. L., & Thorsteinsson, E. B. (2018). Exploring poor sleep, mental health, and help-seeking intention in university students. Australian Journal of Psychology, 70, 41-47.  https://doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12160

Alcohol use in Bhutan: Parenting style and distress

Title of publication

Parenting style, distress, and problematic alcohol use in Bhutan

Abstract 

Background: Bhutan is a small landlocked country located between India and China that is largely rural and Buddhist. As the nation develops and adopts more Western practices, the nature of the relationship between its young people and alcohol is developing as well.

Objectives: The present study examines how problematic alcohol use relates to parenting styles and distress factors in a sample of predominantly tertiary students.

Methods: For this study, 245 young adults completed self-report measures of parenting style, distress, and alcohol-related problems.

Results: Strong correlations were found indicating more dysfunctional parenting styles were associated with greater distress and problematic alcohol use. Further analyses to evaluate the relationship between parenting styles and alcohol use found no role for moderation but a significant effect for mediation which indicated that more dysfunctional parenting styles were associated with greater distress which in turn was associated with greater problematic alcohol use.

Conclusions: These findings replicate those found in Western countries and imply that the same vulnerabilities to problematic alcohol use are also present in Bhutan.

Cite

Penjor, S., Thorsteinsson, E. B., Price, I., & Loi, N. M. (2019). Parenting style, distress, and problematic alcohol use in Bhutan. Cogent Psychology, 6, 1-10. doi:10.1080/23311908.2019.1579503

Link

https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2019.1579503
https://www.cogentoa.com/article/10.1080/23311908.2019.1579503

Sleep, mental health, and help-seeking in University students

Title of publication

Exploring poor sleep, mental health, and help-seeking intention in University students

Abstract 

University students experience common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress along with poor-sleep quality. This study explores the relationships between these concepts and help-seeking intention in a general Australian university student population. The primary aim was to examine the moderating effects of sleep quality on help-seeking intention for common mental health problems. The secondary aim was to examine sex differences in help-seeking behaviour. Method: University students, between 18 and 55 years of age ( M = 30.18, SD = 11.37, N = 117) of which 98 were female, completed an on-line survey assessing help-seeking intentions, common mental health problems, and sleep quality. Results: High levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were signi fi cantly associated with decreased sleep quality or decreased help-seeking intention. A multiple regression analysis predicted that students were more likely to report intention to seek help if they had lower scores of depression, but higher scores of stress. Help-seeking intention levels were lower for males than females. Poor-sleep quality was not found to be a moderator of help-seeking intention. Conclusion: Although the proposed moderation effect of poor-sleep quality on the relationship between common mental health problems and help-seeking intention was not supported, the study advanced our knowledge of university students ’ low intention to seek help, despite high scores of poor-sleep quality. Implications for on-campus interventions and raising awareness among students about these issues are discussed.

Link 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12160

Cite

Zochil, M. L., & Thorsteinsson, E. B. (2017). Exploring poor sleep, mental health, and help-seeking intention in University students. Australian Journal of Psychology. doi:10.1111/ajpy.12160