The effect of anxiety on sleep disorders in medical students: a moderated mediation model

Abstract

The relationship between anxiety and sleep disorders is a key research topic in the academic community. However, evidence on the mechanism through which anxiety influences sleep disorders remains limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of flourishing and neuroticism in the mechanism through which anxiety influences sleep disorders in medical students. We constructed a moderated mediation model and tested the mediating role of flourishing and the moderating role of neuroticism in medical college students. The results showed that: (1) anxiety was significantly and positively related to sleep disorders and significantly and negatively related to flourishing; flourishing was significantly and negatively related to sleep disorders; neuroticism was significantly and positively related to sleep disorders; (2) flourishing had a mediation effect on the relationship between anxiety and sleep disorders; (3) neuroticism moderated the process through which flourishing mediated the effect of anxiety on sleep disorders. Our research expands the literature on the mechanism underlying the effects of anxiety on sleep disorders and provides insights into the potential prevention and intervention of sleep and emotional problems in medical students.

Keywords: anxiety; flourishing; moderated mediation; neuroticism; sleep disorders.