Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8696-8957
Date Available
11-19-2025
Year of Publication
2025
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Psychology
Faculty
Christal L. Badour, PhD
Faculty
Shannon Sauer-Zavala, PhD
Abstract
Sleep problems are common among college women and may contribute to PTSD symptoms. Those with emotion regulation difficulties may have increased difficulty managing distress worsened by poor sleep, though it is unclear which specific facets of emotion regulation are most relevant. This study examined interactions between sleep quality and facets of emotion regulation difficulties on PTSD symptoms among college women (N = 1,037) using self-report measures: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18). Two significant interactions emerged. Sleep disturbance interacted with difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior (b = 0.52, SE = 0.19, p = .01), such that sleep disturbance was more strongly associated with PTSD symptoms among those with greater goal-directed behavior difficulties. Daytime dysfunction interacted with impulse control difficulties, (b = -0.45, SE = 0.16, p = .01), indicating stronger associations among those with impulse control problems, except those in the highest range (top 10%). Findings underscore the importance of screening trauma-exposed women for sleep disruptions and addressing both sleep and emotion regulation in interventions. Future research should explore the bidirectional links between sleep quality, emotion regulation, and PTSD using longitudinal and ecological momentary assessment designs.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.520
Funding Information
The author gratefully acknowledges support from the National Institutes of Health T32 DA035200. This funding agency had no role in study design, data collection or analysis, or preparation and submission of the manuscript. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Recommended Citation
Seymour, Grace M., "GLOBAL SLEEP QUALITY, EMOTION REGULATION DIFFICULTIES, AND PTSD SYMPTOM SEVERITY IN TRAUMA-EXPOSED COLLEGE WOMEN" (2025). Theses and Dissertations--Psychology. 287.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_etds/287
