PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SLEEP HYGIENE: A Comparative Study of Adolescents and Older Adults

Sleep hygiene plays a crucial role in psychological well-being, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning. However, sleep behaviours and their psychological determinants may vary across different stages of life. The present study aimed to examine psychological influences on sleep hygiene and to compare these relationships between adolescents and older adults. Specifically, the study investigated the role of self-efficacy, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, and attitudes toward aging in shaping sleep hygiene behaviours.A quantitative cross-sectional comparative research design was employed. The sample consisted of 160 participants, including 80 adolescents aged 13–17 years and 80 older adults aged 60–70 years. Participants completed an online questionnaire consisting of the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE), the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep Scale (DBAS-16), and the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire (AAQ) for older adults. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, and Pearson correlation analysis.Contrary to the initial expectation, sleep hygiene behaviours did not differ significantly between adolescents and older adults in the present study. However, psychological variables such as self-efficacy and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep showed associations with sleep hygiene patterns across participants. Self-efficacy was positively associated with healthier sleep practices, whereas dysfunctional beliefs about sleep were associated with poorer sleep hygiene behaviours. Among older adults, attitudes toward aging also showed relationships with sleep behaviour, suggesting that psychological perceptions of aging may influence sleep-related practices.Overall, the findings highlight the significant role of psychological factors in shaping sleep hygiene behaviours across the lifespan. Higher self-efficacy was associated with healthier sleep practices, while dysfunctional sleep beliefs were linked to poorer sleep hygiene behaviours. These findings suggest that cognitive and psychological interventions aimed at improving sleep beliefs and strengthening self-efficacy may be valuable strategies for promoting healthier sleep practices across different developmental stages.Keywords: sleep hygiene, adolescents, older adults, self-efficacy, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, psychological factors