Research on correlation between psychological defense mechanism and sleep quality of the empty-nesters / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the characteristics of community empty-nesters sleep quality and psychological defense mechanism,and the correlation between them.Methods 230 empty-nest elderly and 181 nonempty nesters were assessed with Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Defense style questionnaire (DSQ).Results PSQI score of empty-nest ehlerly was (14.33±2.48),higher than that of non-empty nesters(t=17.857,P＜0.01).Factor score of immature psychological defense style in DSQ was (3.92± 1.20),for the mediate defense style was (4.49± 1.11),for the wrapping factor was (3.38± 1.92).All of them were higher than the scores for nonempty nesters,and the differences were statistically significant (t=4.463,6.937,5.404,P＜0.01).Factor score for mature psychological defense style in DSQ was (3.96±1.45),and lower than the score for non-empty nesters(t=7.472,P＜0.01).hnmature defense mechanism of empty-nest elderly was positively related with subjective sleep quality,sleep continuity,sleep disorders,using sleep medicine,dysfunction in the daytime,and the total score in PSQ1 (r=0.533,0.145,0.605,0.521,0.497,0.734).Mature defense mechanism was negative related with sleep latency,sleep continuity,and the total score in PSQI (r=-0.129,-0.542,-0.104).The mediate defense meehanism was positively related with subjective sleep quality,sleep latency and the total score in PSQI (r=0.186,0.294,0.131),while negative related with sleep efficiency(r=-0.188).The wrapping factor had a positive correlation with subjective sleep quality,using sleep medicine and the total score in PSQI (r=0.440,0.431,0.564).Conclusion Empty-nesters tend to adopt immature defense styles,and most of them have a poor sleeping,which are closely related with each other.