The association between sleep dysfunction and psychosis-like experiences among college students

Abstract

Sleep problems are prominent and pervasive clinical issues experienced by many people with psychotic disorders, often causing distress and functional impairment. Sleep problems are also related to psychosis-like experiences (PLE; non-diagnosable phenomenon such as transient perceptual disturbances, unusual thoughts, periodic suspiciousness) in epidemiological studies. Prior studies in this field have used brief measures that precluded the ability to test (1) whether risk for psychosis-like experiences are related to specific sub-types of sleep disturbance, and (2) whether sleep disturbance is specifically related to clinically significant (i.e., distressing) psychosis-like experiences. The current project examined the relation between specific sleep issues, and PLEs and distress associated with PLEs, in a college sample. Participants (N=420) completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B), which assesses PLEs and associated distress, and the Iowa Sleep Disturbances Inventory - extended version (ISDI-E), which assesses thirteen separate disturbed sleep domains. Symptoms of fragmented sleep, sleep hallucinations, and night anxiety significantly correlated with PLEs, and several sleep domains were significantly associated with PLE-related distress.

Poor sleep quality predicts psychotic‐like symptoms: an experience sampling study in young adults with schizotypal traits

“…These findings are in line with the accumulating evidence supporting a link between sleep quality and PLEs . Beyond the consistently reported associations between sleep quality and PLEs in cross‐sectional studies , sleep disturbances seem to precede and predict the appearance of PLEs in non‐clinical populations and individuals at high risk for psychosis . Here, we extended these longitudinal findings by showing that day‐to‐day fluctuations in PLEs were related to the subjective sleep quality and sleep duration of the preceding night.…”

“…Interestingly, our sample on average was characterized by relatively short sleep duration (mean = 6.5) that is below the average sleep duration of university students . This indicates that our sample did not obtain a sufficient amount of sleep that may also be considered a risk factor, especially in individuals with schizotypal tendencies . Future studies may examine whether sleep‐related interventions can reduce the risk of psychosis, especially in high‐risk populations that exhibit PLEs and PLE‐related distress associated with impaired sleep .…”

“…This indicates that our sample did not obtain a sufficient amount of sleep that may also be considered a risk factor, especially in individuals with schizotypal tendencies . Future studies may examine whether sleep‐related interventions can reduce the risk of psychosis, especially in high‐risk populations that exhibit PLEs and PLE‐related distress associated with impaired sleep . Promising data of a recent randomized controlled trial indicated that a digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia was not only effective in ameliorating insomnia but also reduced PLEs (paranoia and hallucinations).…”

The Mediating Effect of Alexithymia on the Relationship Between Schizotypal Traits and Sleep Problems Among College Students

“…Evidence also suggests that individuals with high levels of schizotypal traits resemble schizophrenia patients in experiencing much more vivid nightmares or pleasant dreams than other individuals (6). Moreover, sleep problems have been associated with psychosis-like experiences in epidemiological studies (7). A growing amount of evidence suggests that recognizing and addressing early signs and symptoms of psychosis can lead to better outcomes (8).…”

Youth Self Report Thought Problems and Sleep Difficulties Are Linked to Suicidal Ideation Among Psychiatrically Hospitalized Adolescents

“…Youth with thought problems often experience comorbid sleep disturbances and suicidal ideation (SI), which can cause additional distress and impairment in functioning (Davies et al 2017). Sleep difficulties have been linked to thought problems and related distress among nonclinical samples of young adults (Andorko et al 2017). Sleep problems have been shown to be elevated among youth at clinical high risk for psychosis (i.e., experiencing clinically significant thought problems below the diagnostic threshold for psychosis; Lunsford-Avery et al 2013).…”