Effects of Trait Mindfulness on Sleep Quality of “Chinese People’s Armed Police” Personnel: Studies Based on Chain-Mediation Model and Cross-Lagged Regression

This study aimed to explore the mechanisms through which trait mindfulness affects the sleep quality of Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) in plateau regions, as well as the temporal trends involved, to provide theoretical support for subsequent psychological interventions.

A questionnaire survey was conducted on male PAP personnel stationed in a certain plateau region of China, using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Rumination Response Scale (RRS), Attention to Negative Information Scale (ANI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). In both a cross-sectional study (Study 1) and a longitudinal study (Study 2), chain mediation models and cross-lagged models were respectively constructed to investigate the impact mechanisms of trait mindfulness on the sleep quality of plateau-based armed police officers and soldiers.

The results of the cross-sectional study (Study 1) showed significant correlations between mindfulness and rumination, negative attentional bias and sleep quality. Mindfulness had a direct impact on the sleep quality of PAP personnel. rumination and negative attentional bias partially mediated and sequentially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and sleep quality. The results of the longitudinal study (Study 2) indicated that mindfulness at Time 1 (T1) significantly predicted sleep quality at Time 2 (T2), and sleep quality at T2 significantly predicted T3 mindfulness at Time 3 (T3). Mindfulness at T1 could predict sleep quality at T3 through the longitudinal mediation of rumination and negative attentional bias at T2. However, sleep quality at T1 could not predict mindfulness at T3 through the longitudinal mediation of rumination and negative attentional bias at T2.

Among the population of PAP personnel, there was a bidirectional predictive relationship between trait mindfulness and sleep quality, and trait mindfulness influenced sleep quality through the mediation of rumination and negative attentional bias over time. Negative cognitive patterns had proven to be key factors affecting sleep quality, and implementing mindfulness interventions focused on improving individual negative cognitive patterns, can effectively enhance their sleep quality.