Effects of mental contrasting on sleep and associations with stress

A randomized controlled trial

Bibliographic Data

ID4969457
AuthorsLaura I Schmidt (0000-0002-8750-9242, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany), Andreas B Neubauer (0000-0003-0515-1126, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education), Andreas Neubauer (0000-0002-7606-8760), M Stoffel (0000-0002-8935-0853, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany), Beate Ditzen (0000-0001-5853-4572, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany), Jana Schirmaier (Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany), Claudia Farrenkopf (Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany), Monika Sieverding (0000-0002-9865-4525, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany)
Year2023
Volume28
Issue11
Pages1057-1071
Publication date2023-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Health Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1359-1053 • E-ISSN: 1461-7277
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/13591053231159168
PMID36922707
OpenAlexW4327614108
LanguageEN
References cited36

Mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) has been successfully applied to improve health-related behaviors (e.g. exercise). We explored its effectiveness to improve sleep outcomes beyond effects of sleep hygiene (SH) information, and investigated associations with stress. Eighty university employees (mean age: 29.6, SD = 4.5) were randomized to either a MCII + SH or a SH-only condition. During a baseline-week and a post-intervention week, sleep duration (Fitbit Alta and self-report), sleep quality, and stress were assessed daily and saliva was collected to assess the cortisol awakening response (CAR). In total, self-reported sleep quality and duration increased, but there was no meaningful condition*week interaction for sleep parameters or CAR. Higher average stress was associated with shorter sleep duration and lower sleep quality. Within-person, days with higher stress were followed by nights with lower sleep quality. Despite overall improvements, effects of MCII were not confirmed. MCII might be less effective to improve behaviors which are less controllable

Insomnia · Mental health · Physical therapy · Psychiatry · Randomized controlled trial · Sleep (system call · Sleep hygiene · Sleep quality · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Behavioral Health and Interventions · Medicine · Mental Health Research Topics · Psychology · Clinical Psychology · Internal Medicine

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