SUBJECTIVE AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL INSOMNIA - AN EXAMINATION OF SLEEPTENDENCY AND PERSONALITY

The goal of this study was to compare insomniacs with and without obje ctive verification, on the basis of sleep parameters, personality, and performance. An insomniac complaint group was subclassified as object ive insomniac (OI) or subjective insomniac (SI) and compared to a non- complaint group. Groups did not differ on night sleep variables or day time sleep latency measures; rather, a consistent sleep tendency was r evealed for all three groups. The poorer the previous night of sleep, the longer the daytime sleep latencies. Groups differed on subjective measures of conscious state during the day. SIs inaccurately estimated sleep/wake state in comparison to objective measures on the MSLT, whe reas Ols were accurate in their estimations. Personality scores showed trends that suggested greater neuroticism for Sis and introversion fo r Ols, Results demonstrated subjective tendencies and related personal ity types that may help in the understanding of the complaint of insom nia with and without objective findings. (C) 1997 Society of Biologica l Psychiatry