The subjective assessment of daytime cognitive dysfunction and motivation by insomniacs

The research reported in this paper investigates insomniacs' self-reports of daytime cognitive dysfunction and poor motivation as pare of the aftermath of disturbed sleep. Results show that an insomniac group (N = 103) does not differ from normal sleepers (N = 40) on mean scale scores measuring everyday 'attentional experiences' (Davies et dl., 1998), nor on measures of 'competence' or 'aspiration' at work and home. However, within the sleep-disturbed group those with a higher level of anxiety and depression report significantly greater attentional dysfunction and lower levels of motivation. Further analyses show that those insomniacs with low levels of psychopathology do not differ from controls in self-assessments of attention or motivation, although their sleep problem is as severe as those with high levels. The 'next day' effects that often form a major focus of presenting complaints of insomnia are :hus not shared with those whose affect is more positive.