Cognitive Distortions and Mental Imagery as Predictors of Sleep Disorders among University Students of Both Gender

The current research aimed to identify cognitive distortions and mental images as predictors of some sleep disorders among university students of both sexes.,and revealing the relationship between each of the cognitive distortions and mental images in predicting some sleep disorders and identifying the differences between males and females in the research variables: cognitive distortions, mental images and some sleep disorders.In selecting its sample,
the research relied on non-probability sampling using a purposive sample of (115) female and male students from the dormitory of Ain Shams University in the first year of their colleges, in the age group between (18-22) years, with (62) male students. And (53) female students, from some practical colleges (Medicine - Engineering), and some theoretical colleges (Arts - Law),To achieve the research objectives, the research tools were applied, namely: the cognitive distortions scale (prepared by the researcher), the mental images scale (prepared by the researcher), and the sleep disorders battery (prepared by Zainab Shuqair, 2009).The results of the research showed that there are statistically significant differences between the average scores of both males and females in sleep disorders, cognitive distortions, and mental images in the direction of females, and the differences are in favor of females in cognitive distortions. We also find that the averages of females are almost equal to the averages of males in the mental images scale.
There are statistically significant differences between the averages of students who suffer from sleep disorders and the prevalence of cognitive distortions. The result indicates that the prevalence of cognitive distortions is associated with sleep disorders among students with high scores on the sleep disorders and cognitive distortions scale.
The results also indicate that those who have a high degree of sleep disorders have greater ability in mental images than those who have a low degree of sleep disorders. There is also a positive correlation, as it becomes clear that the greater the mental images in each of the dimensions (cognitive indicator - emotional indicator - behavioral indicator) Sleep disturbances increased in (insomnia and night terrors).The results also revealed that the most influential indicators of cognitive distortions in sleep disorders are (the catastrophic thinking indicator, the binary thinking indicator, and the trivialization indicator), and the most influential mental image indicators in sleep disorders are (the emotional indicator, the cognitive indicator, and the behavioral indicator).