Preoccupation with sleep and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep mediate the influence of psychological inflexibility on insomnia in the older adult population.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to explore whether the Discrepancy between the desired time in Bed and the desired total Sleep Time (DBST) index influences insomnia severity in the older adult population and examined the potential role of psychological inflexibility in this association. METHODS: An online survey study was conducted for older individuals aged ≥ 65 via a survey company between January and February 2023. A total of 300 responses and data without personally identifiable information were delivered to the researchers. The survey questionnaires include the DBST, Glasgow Sleep Effort Scale (GSES), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Dysfunctional Beliefs about Sleep-2 items (DBS-2), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II). RESULTS: The analysis included 295 older adult participants. The DBST index was significantly correlated with all questionnaires. Linear regression revealed the DBST index was predicted only by the ISI (ß = 0.26, p = 0.003). Mediation analysis showed that the GSES (Z = 2.92, p = 0.003) and DBS-2 (Z = 2.17, p = 0.030) mediated the effect of the DBST index on the ISI, while the AAQ-II did not. Path analysis showed that the DBST could be directly predicted by the ISI (Z = 2.94, p = 0.003), GSES (Z = 2.75, p = 0.006), and DBS2 (Z = 2.71, p = 0.007) but not by the AAQ-II itself. However, the AAQ-II exerted a significant indirect effect on the ISI through the DBS-2 (Z = 2.21, p = 0.027) and GSES (z = 2.24, p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that preoccupation and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep may mediate the relationship between the DBST index and insomnia severity in the older adult population. We opine that psychological inflexibility might play a significant role in insomnia severity via preoccupation with and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep.

Aggressive sexual fantasy frequency outperforms other characteristics in cross-sectionally predicting self-reported sexual aggression in 4 samples.

BACKGROUND: Aggressive sexual fantasies (ASFs) have consistently been associated with sexual aggression measures. ASF frequency has mostly been used to indicate ASF, but other ASF characteristics may be important to explain the apparent gap between alleged high lifetime prevalence rates of ASF and lower sexual aggression rates-that is, why ASFs are only sometimes put into action. AIM: The present study therefore examined whether additional ASF characteristics show associations with sexual aggression measures above and beyond ASF frequency to identify the most relevant ASF characteristics. METHODS: The present study is based on cross-sectional survey data from 4 independent mostly community samples with 448, 131, 758, and 415 participants to examine whether ASF elaboration, intrusion, preoccupation, context, and consent were associated with self-reported sexual aggression measures beyond ASF frequency. OUTCOMES: Self-reported sexual aggression measures included presumably consensual and nonconsensual sexual sadism, self-reports on acting on ASF, sexual harassment, use of coercive strategies, and rape proclivity. RESULTS: The results showed positive correlations among all ASF characteristics. ASF frequency was the most consistent and often strongest predictor of sexual aggression across samples and outcome measures. ASF elaboration and/or its interaction with ASF frequency added to this prediction in study 1 but not in study 2. All other ASF characteristics in studies 1 to 4 either did not add to the predictions or yielded results contrary to expectations, mostly suggesting suppressor effects. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Sexual medicine and forensic sexology researchers may want to consider ASF frequency in diagnostics and develop and refine interventions to reduce it in cases of clearly elevated levels. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The strengths of the present study include considering 4 independent samples as well as a large number of ASF characteristics and sexual aggression measures. Its limitations include the reliance on cross-sectional data and not being able to examine the potential influences of all ASF characteristics in a single model. CONCLUSION: ASF frequency seems the most valid and reliable indicator of ASF and the most important associate of sexual aggression. It should be considered the main indicator of ASF by future research and in prevention efforts and risk assessment.

Coping strategies as mediators of uncertainty and psychological distress in patients with advanced cancer.

PURPOSE: Uncertainty in the context of advanced cancer diagnosis often incurs significant psychological distress. The aims were to evaluate the incidence of psychological distress upon diagnosis of advanced cancer and to analyze whether the relationship between illness uncertainty and psychological distress can be mediated by coping strategies. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 medical oncology departments across Spain. Individuals with unresectable advanced cancer completed questionnaires on uncertainty (Michel Uncertainty of Illness Scale, coping strategies (Mental Adjustment to Cancer, M-MAC), and psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI-18) after the diagnostic and treatment appointment and before beginning systemic cancer treatment. RESULTS: 841 patients eligible for systemic treatment with palliative intent were included between February 2020 and April 2022. A total of 71.7% had clinically significant levels of psychological distress. Univariate analyses identified that the groups with less psychological distress were male (ηp2  = 0.016), married (ηp2  = 0.006), and had a better performance status (ηp2  = 0.007). The most widely used coping strategies were positive attitude and cognitive avoidance. A positive relationship was found between uncertainty, coping strategies, and psychological distress (p < 0.05). Participants who responded with anxious preoccupation suffered more helplessness and psychological distress, while those who responded with cognitive avoidance displayed greater positive attitude and lesser psychological distress. CONCLUSION: Patients with newly diagnosed unresectable advanced cancer frequently experience psychological distress in the face of uncertainty, potentially influenced by coping strategies like cognitive avoidance.

Priming in the autobiographical memory system: implications and future directions.

Studies examining priming in autobiographical memory are fewer in number (some two dozen) compared to other areas (e.g., semantic memory priming), which have seen hundreds of studies. Nevertheless, autobiographical memory priming studies have utilised quite a number of different experimental paradigms, with many having interesting ecological implications. This paper reviews the bulk of these studies. It discusses the various theoretical implications of these studies, past and present. It suggests numerous future directions in this area, as the study of priming in autobiographical memory has had significant implications, despite the small number of studies, and it offers enormous future potential.

Influence of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Preoccupation With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Among Frontline Nursing Professionals: Mediating Role of Reassurance-Seeking Behavior and Adherence to Physical Distancing.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the relationship between preoccupation with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), reassurance-seeking behavior, viral anxiety, intolerance of uncertainty, and adherence to physical distancing among frontline nursing professionals working in COVID-19 inpatient wards. Additionally, the study aimed to determine whether the commitment to physical distancing mediates the influence of intolerance of uncertainty on viral anxiety. METHODS: Frontline healthcare professionals working in the COVID-19 inpatient wards at three tertiary-level affiliated hospitals in Korea were surveyed between April 7 and 26, 2022. The survey included scales-such as the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale, Coronavirus Reassurance-Seeking Behaviors Scale, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-12 and a questionnaire on adherence to physical distancing. A total of 256 responses were analyzed after excluding inappropriate or incomplete responses. RESULTS: Pearson's correlation analysis found that age was significantly associated with the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale (r = -0.12, P < 0.05) and adherence to physical distancing (r = 0.27, P < 0.01). Linear regression analysis ascertained that age (ß = -0.07, P = 0.002), Coronavirus Reassurance-Seeking Behaviors Scale (ß = 0.35, P < 0.001), and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (ß = 0.24, P < 0.001) were predictors of obsession with COVID-19 (Adjusted R² = 0.60, F = 78.1, P < 0.001). The indirect pathway by mediation analysis showed that reassurance-seeking and viral anxiety mediated the effect of intolerance of uncertainty on the preoccupation with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, there may be a strong association between reassurance-seeking behavior, viral anxiety, and a heightened preoccupation with COVID-19 among frontline healthcare workers. Thus, from the early stages of infectious disease, a psychological support team for medical staff responding to the disease should be established, and periodic evaluations should be conducted to identify high-risk groups.

The relationship between body mass index and food preoccupation in women: A moderated mediation of body-related self-conscious emotions and self-esteem.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals who are preoccupied with food are more likely to develop maladaptive eating behaviours and eating disorders. Thus, it is advisable to investigate the factors that increase vulnerability to food preoccupation (FP) to prevent its harmful impact on physical and mental health. Our objective in this study was to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and FP in Polish women (N = 407) and examine a possible pathway through body-related shame and body-related guilt and self-esteem. METHOD: Participants completed an abbreviated version of the Eating Attitudes Test-26, the Body and Appearance Self-Conscious Emotions Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated a positive indirect effect of BMI on FP through body-related shame and body-related guilt. However, this effect was moderated by self-esteem only for body-related shame; namely, in women with a low or average level of self-esteem, higher BMI was related to higher body-related shame, which, in turn, was associated with higher levels of FP. These associations were not observed in women with a high level of self-esteem. DISCUSSION: Body-related shame may help explain the relationship between BMI and FP. Moreover, self-esteem serves as a protective factor against body-related shame related to higher BMI and, as a result, against FP.

Stress-associated symptoms and disorders: A transdiagnostic comparison.

The ICD-11 features a new group of disorders specifically associated with stress, which are interlinked by various symptoms, such as intrusive memory symptoms. Although research interest in these new ICD-11 diagnoses is growing rapidly, so far, no studies have systematically investigated the transdiagnostic distribution of stress-associated symptoms in these disorders. In the present study, 447 individuals completed a series of online questionnaires, which measured various stress-associated symptoms, e.g., flashbacks, preoccupation or yearning. Findings showed that the majority of correlations between the measured psychopathological constructs was between 0.30 and 0.60. Furthermore, with regard to specific diagnostic groups, a complex variation of stress-associated symptoms was observed, with preoccupation as a predominant symptom in all disorders. Results demonstrate that stress-associated symptoms are inherently interconnected yet possess an individual variation in different disorders. Furthermore, findings illustrate that preoccupation represents a major feature in all stress-associated disorders.

Technological Addictions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Modern methods of communication and engagement, such as social media, video games, and online shopping, use a variety of behavioral techniques to encourage and reward frequent use, opening the door to addiction. The technological addictions (TAs) are a set of disorders that accompany the technological advances that define the digital age. The TAs are an active source of research in the literature, with promising treatment options already available. RECENT FINDINGS: There are promising therapeutic and psychopharmacologic treatments for a broad range of TAs. Stimulants, antidepressants, and cognitive therapies may all be effective for internet gaming disorder (IGD). Cognitive therapies may be effective for other TAs, such as social media addiction (SMA), online shopping addiction (OSA), and online porn addiction. Society's dependence on addictive technologies will only increase. Many of the TAs can be addressed with medication and therapy, with more research and literature developing at a rapid pace.

Preoccupation in bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, and higher weight.

OBJECTIVE: Preoccupation (excessive and constant thoughts) about shape/weight and food/eating is thought to be prominent in individuals with eating disorders but has received much less research than overt behavioral features. This study examined the significance and distinctiveness of different foci of preoccupation in individuals categorized with different forms of eating disorders and in individuals with higher weight. METHOD: Participants (N = 1,363) completed a web-based survey with established measures of eating-disorder psychopathology and depression. The current study compared preoccupation among individuals with core features of bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 144), binge-eating disorder (BED; n = 576), anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 48), and higher body weight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25) without eating-disorder features (higher weight [HW]; n = 595). Associations of each type of preoccupation with other eating-disorder psychopathology and depression were examined both between and within study groups. RESULTS: Preoccupation with shape/weight and with food/eating showed a graded pattern of statistically significant differences: AN and BN had higher preoccupation than BED, which was higher than HW. Within BN, BED, and AN study groups, correlation magnitudes of shape/weight and food/eating preoccupation with eating-disorder psychopathology and depression did not differ significantly. Within the HW group, shape/weight preoccupation was significantly more strongly correlated than food/eating preoccupation with overvaluation, body dissatisfaction, and depression. DISCUSSION: The preoccupation cognitive style, as well as focus, appears associated with other facets of eating-disorder psychopathology and depression. If results are confirmed among individuals with formal diagnoses, clinicians addressing maladaptive cognitions in cognitive-behavioral therapy should consider the role of preoccupation. Future research should investigate whether preoccupation predicts or moderates eating disorder treatment outcomes.

Positive Urgency, Drinking Preoccupation, and Alcohol Problems in College Students.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals high in positive urgency (i.e., impulsiveness stemming from high positive mood) may be more preoccupied with alcohol-related cognitions. Our aim was to examine how positive urgency, drinking preoccupation, and consumption patterns concurrently influence the endorsement of alcohol-related problems. METHOD: We sampled 756 students enrolled in a large, public U.S. university, who completed a cross-sectional survey online. Their mean age was 19.6 (SD = 1.72), 71.3% identified as female, and participants largely identified as Caucasian (65.5%) and Hispanic/Latinx (22.1%). Self-report measurements of trait positive urgency and drinking preoccupation and retrospective data of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were collected. A series of linear regressions tested for a hypothesized indirect effect between variables. RESULTS: We discovered an indirect effect in the relationship between positive urgency and alcohol-related problems via drinking preoccupation. A significant conditional effect showed that this relationship was influenced by past 30-day alcohol consumption, with the effect gaining strength as consumption days increased. CONCLUSIONS: Students with high positive urgency may be more engrossed with alcohol-related drinking cognitions, leading to negative consequences as their alcohol consumption increases. This potential association can inform tailored intervention plans for college student alcohol control, such as successfully managing intense positive moods and alcohol-related cognitions and triggers.

Preoccupation as psychopathological process and symptom in adjustment disorder: A scoping review.

In the ICD-11 diagnostic guidelines, preoccupation has been introduced as the new core symptom of adjustment disorder. Despite this essential innovation, preoccupation has so far largely been defined as rumination and worry and does not feature a distinct character as an independent symptom. In order to investigate the nature of preoccupation, various cognitive approaches are evaluated and linked to preoccupation. Furthermore, the aim of this review is to define preoccupation more precisely and to distinguish it from other symptoms in psychopathology. The evaluation of key features of cognitive dissonance theory, attention bias theory, memory theories, and other cognitive paradigms indicates that preoccupation is constituted by a complex interaction of cognitive-emotional mechanisms. In addition, this review implies that preoccupation in AjD can be defined as stressor-related factual thinking, which is time-consuming and often associated with negative emotions. It is assumed that rumination and dysfunctional worry serve as reactive processes to cope with preoccupation. For further distinction, this review presents similarities and differences of preoccupation and other symptoms, including negative automatic thoughts, flashbacks, and yearning. Finally, implications and suggestions for future research on preoccupation are offered. Overall, it is plausible that preoccupation is not only associated with adjustment disorder but also possesses a transdiagnostic character.

Offence-Supportive Cognitions, Atypical Sexuality, Problematic Self-Regulation, and Perceived Anonymity Among Online and Contact Sexual Offenders Against Children.

Cognitions that support sexual offending, atypical sexuality, and problems with self-regulation are important indicators of offending among men who engage in contact sexual offences against children (e.g., Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2005). While sexual interest in children-a major indicator of atypical sexuality-has been identified as a risk factor for online sexual offending against children (Seto & Eke, 2015), several other indicators, such as offence-supportive cognitions, sexual preoccupation, sexual coping, and perceived anonymity-a presumed risk factor for online sexual offending-have not yet been investigated among men who use the internet to solicit children or to consume child sexual exploitation material. This study investigated the associations between offence-supportive cognitions, atypical sexuality, self-regulation using sex, and perceived anonymity with sexual offending behaviors against children in a sample of 241 men convicted of various sexual and non-sexual offences. Results from logistic regressions show that offence-supportive cognitions, sexual interests in children, and sexual coping, but not sexual preoccupation and perceived anonymity, are associated with either or both online and contact sexual offending behaviors against children. Our results support the prior finding showing that men with online sexual offences are more paraphilic or sexually preoccupied then men with only contact offences against children. They also suggest that offence-supportive cognitions, atypical sexual interests, and sexual coping may be motivating factors, and therefore relevant risk factors, for online sexual offending against children.

Daily fluctuations in occupation with and worry about COVID-19.

In the first week after the first COVID-19 patient was reported in the Netherlands, we conducted a pre-registered momentary assessment study (7 surveys per day, 50 participants, 7 days) to study the dynamic relationship between individuals' occupation with and worries about COVID-19 in daily life, and the moderating role of neuroticism in this relationship. At the group level, higher scores on occupation and worry co-occurred, and occupation predicted worry 1 h later, but not vice versa. There were substantial individual differences in the magnitudes and directions of the effects. For instance, occupation with COVID-19 was related to increases in worry for some but decreases in worry for others. Neuroticism did not predict any of these individual differences in the links between worry and occupation. This study suggests that it is important to go beyond group-level analyses and to account for individual differences in responses to COVID-19.

Adolescents and young women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea: is it time to move beyond the hormonal profile?

PURPOSE: To ascertain the role of deranged eating behaviours (DEBs) in the development of functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea (FHA) and the reciprocal role of psychopathological traits on both disorders. METHODS: A prospective case-control study was conducted spanning the period January 2016 to April 2018. Forty-one consecutive FHA females and 86 healthy controls were recruited. We assessed the DEBs and other FHA predisposing factors via self-reported questionnaires. Possible correlations amongst the variables were examined using the Spearman's correlation coefficient (rho), whilst multivariate logistic regression was carried out to identify independent predictors of DEBs. RESULTS: Mean scores on Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) were significantly higher in females with FHA (p < 0.0001). Women with FHA were characterised by significantly higher scores at the sub-scale items of dieting (p = 0.03) and bulimia and food preoccupation (p < 0.001) compared to healthy controls. Significant difference was also observed between the mean scores of the two groups in all other questionnaires: State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI) (p < 0.0001), Multidimensional Body-Self-Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) (p < 0.0001) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (p = 0.004). EAT-26 scores were positively correlated with scores on STAI (ρ = 0.26, p = 0.04), MBSRQ (ρ = 0.79, p < 0.0001) and IPAQ (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.03). High scores on IPAQ and STAI were correlated with a 12.2-fold (p = 0.008) and 4.3-fold (p = 0.04) increased risk for high scores on EAT-26 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DEBs may occur in FHA populations at a higher frequency compared to the general population. Anxiety and overweight preoccupation may underlie and independently contribute to development and maintenance of both DEBs and FHA. This evidence may have future implications for both screening and interventions that target DEBs and other psychological factors.

Association between demographic features and perceived social support in the mental adjustment to breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The mental adjustment to a breast cancer diagnosis is traumatic and stressful, with wide-ranging differences in the responses observed in Indian women. We investigated the association between demographic features and perceived social support during the adjustment of patients to breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 393 patients with breast cancer were included in the study. The patients were evaluated for mental adjustment to cancer and perceived social support on the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale and Multidimensional Scale of perceived social support. Regression analysis and bivariate correlation were performed to discern significant demographic features and social support in association with the adjustment to having breast cancer. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that mental adjustment factors accounted for 43% of the variance in fighting spirit and 41% of the variance in helplessness/hopelessness. The results of the multiple regression analysis suggested that age (t = -10.27, P < 0.000) and marital status (t = 3.03, P < 0.000) were predictive of patients' fighting spirit. Age was inversely (t = 9.81, P < 0.01) associated with fighting spirit, whereas family income (t = -3.82, P < 0.000) was inversely predictive of helplessness/hopelessness. Social support from significant others was predictive of a patient's fighting spirit and fatalism mental adjustment, while support from friends was predictive of helplessness/hopelessness. CONCLUSION: Demographic factors such as young age and high education are associated with good mental adjustment to breast cancer. Perceived support from significant others may fulfill the need for the socioemotional aspects of patient support that lead to the adjustment to a breast cancer diagnosis in patients.

Body image concern and treatment outcomes in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the role of baseline measures of body-image concern (BIC) in changes in body mass index (BMI) centile and psychopathological outcomes associated with intensive enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). METHOD: The BMI centile of 62 adolescent patients with AN was recorded at four time-points over 12 months, and Eating Disorder Examination interview (EDE) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) scores, were recorded at admission and discharge from CBT-E. Changes in three BIC components, namely "Preoccupation with shape/weight", "Fear of weight gain" and "Feeling fat", were assessed at admission and discharge. RESULTS: CBT-E was associated with a significant improvement in outcome variables and BIC components. Among completers, 96.4% reached an end-of treatment BMI centile corresponding to a BMI ≥ 18.5 at 18 years, which fell slightly to 78.7% and 80.4% at 6- and 12-month follow-ups, respectively. Baseline "Preoccupation with shape/weight" and "Feeling fat" predicted improvement in BMI centile over time, and all three baseline BIC components independently predicted end-of-treatment EDE Eating Concern subscale score. Baseline "Feeling fat" also predicted end-of-treatment EDE Dietary Restraint subscale and BSI scores. DISCUSSION: These findings highlight the importance of assessing and addressing body image when managing adolescent patients with AN.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of body dysmorphic disorder in adolescent inpatient psychiatric patients-a pilot study.

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is preoccupation with perceived body defects leading to distress and impairment in social functioning. Most of adolescent BDD literature has been done on patients within the outpatient setting with prior versions of DSM with dearth of information about BDD and comorbid psychiatric conditions among adolescents within the inpatient setting. Aims: This pilot study evaluated the prevalence rate, clinical characteristics in adolescent BDD compared to non-BDD adolescents in a psychiatric in patient setting in addition to their comorbid issues like anxiety, OCD, ADHD and substance abuse. Methods: Forty-five consecutively admitted adolescent patients participated with 17 meeting the DSM 5 criteria for BDD while 28 did not. Patients were asked four questions designed around the DSM-5 criteria for BDD after which they were asked to complete questionnaires like BDDQ child and adolescent version, BDDM, Multiaxial Anxiety Scale for Children, Children's Depression Inventory, Y-BOCS and Vanderbilt ADHD rating scales. Results: Seventeen participants had BDD. Mean age of BDD patients was 13.1 while non-BDD was 12.4. Male patients with BDD were seven (41%) while female BDD patients were 10 (58.8%). Anxiety, depression, OCD and substance use disorders were common comorbid diagnoses. Majority of patients in the BDD group classified their BDD as a severe problem with more BDD, patient's considering suicide because of their BDD. Discussion: BDD is present in adolescents admitted in inpatient psychiatric hospital with more female patients endorsing BDD versus their male counterparts. Patients with BDD are more likely to endorse more comorbid psychiatric issues such as anxiety, OCD, ADHD and substance abuse.

Associations Between Secret-Keeping and Quality of Life in Older Adults.

This study examined the effects of secrecy on quality of life in a sample consisting of older adults (>50 years; N = 301). Three key components of secrecy were examined with the Tilburg Secrecy Scale-25 (TSS25; possession of a secret, self-concealment, and cognitive preoccupation). The TSS25 distinguishes between the tendency to conceal personal information (self-concealment) and the tendency to worry or ruminate about the secret (cognitive preoccupation), thereby enabling investigation of the effects of secrecy on quality of life in detail. Confirming previous findings in younger samples, we found a positive effect of possession of a secret on quality of life, after controlling for both TSS25's self-concealment and cognitive preoccupation. This suggests that keeping secrets may have a positive association with quality of life in older adults as well, as long as they do not have the tendency to self-conceal and are not cognitively preoccupied with their secret.

Perseverative Cognition as an Explanatory Mechanism in the Relation Between Job Demands and Sleep Quality.

PURPOSE: The aim of this longitudinal three-wave study was to examine (i) reciprocal associations among job demands, work-related perseverative cognition (PC), and sleep quality; (ii) PC as a mediator in-between job demands and sleep quality; and (iii) continuous high job demands in relation to sleep quality and work-related PC over time. METHOD: A representative sample of the Swedish working population was approached in 2010, 2012, and 2014, and 2316 respondents were included in this longitudinal full-panel survey study. Structural equation modelling was performed to analyse the temporal relations between job demands, work-related PC, and sleep quality. Additionally, a subsample (N = 1149) consisting of individuals who reported the same level of exposure to job demands during all three waves (i.e. stable high, stable moderate, or stable low job demands) was examined in relation to PC and sleep quality over time. RESULTS: Analyses showed that job demands, PC, and poor sleep quality were positively and reciprocally related. Work-related PC mediated the normal and reversed, direct across-wave relations between job demands and sleep quality. Individuals with continuous high job demands reported significantly lower sleep quality and higher work-related PC, compared to individuals with continuous moderate/low job demands. CONCLUSION: This study substantiated reciprocal relations between job demands, work-related PC, and sleep quality and supported work-related PC as an underlying mechanism of the reciprocal job demands-sleep relationship. Moreover, this study showed that chronically high job demands are a risk factor for low sleep quality.

Disordered eating in three different age groups in Cyprus: a comparative cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate disordered eating behaviours (DEBs) in different age groups in a Cypriot non-clinical population sample. STUDY DESIGN: Comparative cross-sectional study. METHOD: A total of 1716 participants from the Cyprus component of the I.Family study completed the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). The EAT-26 score ≥20 was used to define participants at risk for DEBs. Participants were divided according to age: adolescence (12-18 years old), young adulthood (25-45 years old) and middle adulthood (46-60 years old). RESULTS: Mean EAT-26 total scores were higher for middle adulthood men and women compared with the two younger age groups. Young adulthood women had the highest percentage of behavioural symptoms of DEBs: binge eating (35%) and laxatives/diet pills/diuretics (12%) compared with the other age groups. Men and women in young adulthood had the highest percentage of participants with EAT-26 scores ≥20. In logistic regression analysis, age group did not prove a significant predictor of DEB risk in a model adjusting for sex, body mass index and physical activity. CONCLUSION: DEB can present at any age and was not confined to adolescence.