Effects of self-compassion and self-focus on sleep disturbances among psychiatric nurses.

PURPOSE: Previous research has demonstrated that self-compassion improved sleep in geriatric samples. However, this may be due to an uncontrolled influence from self-focus, or interaction between self-compassion and self-focus. This study examines whether these findings apply to psychiatric nurses.

DESIGN AND

METHODS

Demographics, sleep disturbances, self-compassion, and self-focus of 404 psychiatric nurses were assessed. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to predict sleep disturbances.

FINDINGS: Analyzes revealed that working more night shifts, less self-compassion, and rumination predicted worse sleep quality; however, the effect of self-compassion was not significant when controlling for self-focus.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: An association between sleep quality and self-compassion was observed, but not when controlling for self-focus. Rumination may have an impact on sleep, and reducing it may improve sleep in psychiatric nurses.