0413 Neuroticism interacts with stressful experiences during deployment to predict post-deployment insomnia

Abstract Introduction Negative affect traits, such as neuroticism, have been shown to be associated with greater risk for insomnia. These trait-based factors are theorized to increase stress reactivity, which can be a predisposing factor to insomnia. Military personnel represent a unique population that are subject to stressors as a nature of their occupations and may therefore be particularly vulnerable to the onset and persistence of insomnia. The present study examined prospective associations among trait-based emotional reactivity and neuroticism, exposure to stressful experiences during a combat deployment, and insomnia symptoms at 9-months post-deployment. Methods Data were obtained from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers Pre-Post Deployment Survey (PPDS). Soldiers included in these analyses (n = 1448) completed surveys prior to deployment to Afghanistan, immediately after deployment, and 9-month post-deployment. The survey included measures of insomnia symptoms, deployment-related stressors and trait-based personality measures. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships among emotional reactivity, neuroticism and deployment stress with post-deployment insomnia. Results Higher trait-based neuroticism and greater exposure to deployment-related stressors were independently associated with greater risk of probable insomnia at 9-months post-deployment, but not trait-based emotional reactivity . However, there were significant interaction effects, such that among those with greater range of stressful events, neuroticism was associated with higher risk of post-deployment insomnia, while emotional reactivity was associated with lower risk. Conclusion A trait disposition for negative affect (i.e., neuroticism) may predispose individuals to chronic insomnia in the face of acute stressors . While neuroticism includes negative emotional reactivity, it also encompasses other characteristics (e.g., negative self-perception) that may be a stronger predictor of persistent insomnia symptoms. Service members with higher baseline neuroticism may benefit from pre-deployment skills trainings to better cope in the face of stressors and prevent/mitigate long-term problems. Support (if any) This study is based on public use data from Army STARRS (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, University of Michigan-http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR35197-v1), funded by U.S. NIMH-U01MH087981.