Relationship between acute stress and sleep disorder in grass-root military personnel: mediating effect of social support

BACKGROUND Sleep disorder induced by acute stress has always been an important topic for study among the general population. However, the mediating effect of social support between acute stress and sleep disorder has rarely been reported before. METHODS A total of 2,411 grass-root military personnel were randomly selected by cluster sampling, and administered the Chinese Military Personnel Sleep Disorder Scale, Military Acute Stress Scale and Social Support Rating Scale. RESULTS The total score of acute stress scale was positively correlated with the total score and factor scores of sleep disorder scale (r = 0.209 ~ 0.465, P < 0.01); The total score of social support scale was positively correlated with the total score of acute stress scale and the total score and factor scores of sleep disorder scale (r = 0.356 ~ 0.537, P < 0.01). The analysis of mediating effects showed that lack of social support partially mediated between acute stress and the factors of sleep disorder. The analysis of structural equation model showed that acute stress not only had a direct effect on sleep disorder (the path coefficient was 0.29, P = 0.000), but also on lack of social support (the path coefficient was 0.39, P = 0.000); lack of social support had a direct effect on sleep disorder (the path coefficient was 0.48, P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS Acute stress and lack of social support are two significant factors of sleep disorder in grass-root military personnel. Well-established social support could alleviate sleep disorder induced by acute stress. Lack of social support was a partial mediator between acute stress and sleep disorder.