Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Sleep Problems: Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation

This study aimed to examine the role of emotion regulation in the relationship between ADHD and sleep problems among adults. Three hundred and twelve students (178 males, 134 females) were selected from south branch of Islamic Azad university in 2013 academic year using stratified sampling. The participants completed the Conner’s Adult ADHD Rating Scale - Self-Report: Short version (CAARS-S:S; Conners, Erhardt, & Sparrow, 1999), the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; Buysse, Reynolds, Monk, Berman, & Kupfer, 1989). The results indicated that ADHD correlated positively and significantly with difficulties of emotion regulation and sleep problems. The results of path analysis indicated that the ADHD had an indirect effect on sleep problems through emotion regulation. The findings suggested that emotion regulation skills training may be effective in reducing sleep problems of adults with ADHD.