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Observational Study
. 2017 Dec;51(6):879-889.
doi: 10.1007/s12160-017-9911-3.

Observed Relationship Behaviors and Sleep in Military Veterans and Their Partners

Jennifer Fillo  1 , Stephanie Brooks Holliday  2 , Amy DeSantis  2 , Anne Germain  3 , Daniel J Buysse  3 , Karen A Matthews  3 , Wendy M Troxel  4
Affiliations
Observational Study

Observed Relationship Behaviors and Sleep in Military Veterans and Their Partners

Jennifer Fillo et al. Ann Behav Med. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Emerging research has begun to examine associations between relationship functioning and sleep. However, these studies have largely relied on self-reported evaluations of relationships and/or of sleep, which may be vulnerable to bias.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine associations between relationship functioning and sleep in military couples. This is the first research to examine associations between observed relationship behaviors and subjective and polysomnographically measured sleep in a sample at-risk for both sleep and relationship problems.

Methods: The sample included 35 military veterans and their spouses/partners. Marital functioning was coded from a videotaped conflict interaction. Analyses focused on behavioral codes of hostility and relationship-enhancing attributions. Sleep was assessed via self-report and in-home polysomnography.

Results: Greater hostility was associated with poorer sleep efficiency for oneself (b = -0.195, p = .013). In contrast, greater relationship-enhancing attributions were associated with higher percentages of stage N3 sleep (b = 0.239, p = .028). Partners' hostility was also positively associated with higher percentages of stage N3 sleep (b = 0.272, p = .010). Neither hostility nor relationship-enhancing attributions was associated with self-reported sleep quality, percentage of REM sleep, or total sleep time.

Conclusions: Both partners' positive and negative behaviors during conflict interactions were related to sleep quality. These findings highlight the role that effective communication and conflict resolution skills may play in shaping not only the marital health of veterans and their spouses but also the physical health of both partners as well. Understanding the links between relationship functioning and sleep may be important targets of intervention in the aftermath of war.

Keywords: Couples; Marital conflict; Marital functioning; Military; Sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

With respect to potential conflicts of interest, Daniel J. Buysse has worked as a paid consultant to the following (<$5000 per year for each): Cereve, Inc; Emmi Solutions; Merck; Philips Respironics; CME Outfitters; Medscape. He received licensing royalties for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Symptom Questionnaire, and Consensus Sleep Diary (intellectual property rights). He also received payment for CME lectures from Astellas and Servier.

References

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