Identifying factors associated with sleep disturbance among adults seeking outpatient psychiatric services for anxiety and related disorders

AI Summary

High prevalence of clinically meaningful sleep disturbance among treatment-seeking adults with anxiety and related disorders, with no differences across diagnostic groups.
Greater depressive, stress and anxiety symptom severity and older age were independently associated with poorer sleep quality.
Cannabis use and biological sex were not associated with sleep quality, and diagnostic group did not moderate these effects.

Bull Menninger Clin. 2026 Spring;90(2):87-108. doi: 10.1521/bumc.2026.90.2.87.

ABSTRACT

This study sought to characterize self-reported sleep disturbance and identify factors associated with sleep disturbance among treatment seeking adults with clearly diagnosed anxiety and related disorders. Four principal diagnostic groups were included: generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder/agoraphobia, and social anxiety disorder. Linear regression was conducted to identify main effects of psychiatric (diagnostic group, cannabis use, anxiety, depressive, and stress symptoms) and demographic (age and sex) variables on sleep quality and whether these effects were moderated by diagnostic group. The majority of participants reported clinically meaningful sleep disturbance with no difference across diagnostic presentation. Depression, stress, anxiety, and age demonstrated significant main effects on sleep quality while cannabis use and biological sex did not. No significant moderation effects were observed. These findings suggest that sleep disturbance is highly prevalent among treatment seeking individuals with anxiety and related disorders warranting further research. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

PMID:42258393 | DOI:10.1521/bumc.2026.90.2.87

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