Observed Relationship Behaviors and Sleep in Military Veterans and Their Partners

• DOI: 10.1007/s12160-017-9911-3
• Publication Date: 2017-05-09T20:06:31Z
• Authors: Jennifer Fillo; Stephanie Brooks ...; Amy DeSantis; Anne Germain; Daniel J. Buysse; Karen A. Matthews; Wendy M. Troxel
• Keywords: Health psychology; Sleep

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 sleep, which may be vulnerable bias. The purpose the study was sleep in military couples. This is first observed behaviors subjective polysomnographically measured a sample at-risk for both problems. included 35 veterans their spouses/partners. Marital coded from videotaped conflict interaction. Analyses focused behavioral codes hostility relationship-enhancing attributions. Sleep assessed via self-report in-home polysomnography. Greater associated with poorer efficiency oneself (b = −0.195, p .013). In contrast, greater attributions were higher percentages stage N3 0.239, .028). Partners' also positively 0.272, .010). Neither nor quality, percentage REM or total time. Both partners' positive negative during interactions related quality. These findings highlight role that effective communication resolution skills play shaping not only marital health spouses but physical partners as well. Understanding links important targets intervention aftermath war.