Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and sleep disturbance in college freshmen: a cross-sectional conditional process analysis
Abstract
Sleep disturbance is common among college students, but the statistical relationships linking obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), affective symptoms, and problematic Internet use remain unclear in nonclinical freshmen. In this cross-sectional study, 9,418 college freshmen aged 18–23 years (M = 19.60, SD = 0.65; 3,660 females) completed relevant subscales of the Chinese College Students’ Mental Health Screening Scale. Covariate-adjusted conditional process analyses (analytic N = 9,416) estimated separate and serial indirect associations through anxiety and depression and first-stage moderation by Internet addiction (IA). OCS was positively associated with sleep disturbance (B = 0.284, t = 20.58, p < .001, 95% CI [0.257, 0.311]). Indirect associations were observed through anxiety (estimate = 0.263, 95% bootstrap CI [0.232, 0.293]), depression (estimate = 0.098, 95% bootstrap CI [0.084, 0.114]), and anxiety followed by depression (estimate = 0.113, 95% bootstrap CI [0.098, 0.130]). The OCS × IA interaction in the anxiety equation was statistically significant but small (B = 0.0057, SE = 0.0015, t = 3.71, p < .001). Concurrent measurement prevents conclusions about temporal ordering or causality.
Related
- Obsessive–Compulsive Personality Disorder Symptoms in Veterans Receiving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Specialty Care
- Disgust, Contagion Beliefs, and Contamination-Related Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Hospital and Non-Hospital Workers
- Sleep disturbance and its associations with night shift work, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms among urban operation-supporting workers: a cross-sectional study
- Reduced cortical thickness in obsessive-compulsive disorder and candidate molecular correlates
- Intensive cognitive behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
BibTeX
@article{luo2026obsessivecompulsive,
title = {{Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and sleep disturbance in college freshmen: a cross-sectional conditional process analysis}},
author = {Kaixiao Luo and Chang Li and Jiaojiao Huang and Lin Wang and Yuanxiang Liu and Chuanning Sun and Yanping Sun},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-74232-w},
url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74232-w},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Obsessive-compulsive symptoms and sleep disturbance in college freshmen: a cross-sectional conditional process analysis
AU - Kaixiao Luo
AU - Chang Li
AU - Jiaojiao Huang
AU - Lin Wang
AU - Yuanxiang Liu
AU - Chuanning Sun
AU - Yanping Sun
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-74232-w
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-74232-w
AB - Sleep disturbance is common among college students, but the statistical relationships linking obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS), affective symptoms, and problematic Internet use remain unclear in nonclinical freshmen. In this cross-sectional study, 9,418 college freshmen aged 18–23 years (M = 19.60, SD = 0.65; 3,660 females) completed relevant subscales of the Chinese College Students’ Mental Health Screening Scale. Covariate-adjusted conditional process analyses (analytic N = 9,416) estimated separate and serial indirect associations through anxiety and depression and first-stage moderation by Internet addiction (IA). OCS was positively associated with sleep disturbance (B = 0.284, t = 20.58, p < .001, 95% CI [0.257, 0.311]). Indirect associations were observed through anxiety (estimate = 0.263, 95% bootstrap CI [0.232, 0.293]), depression (estimate = 0.098, 95% bootstrap CI [0.084, 0.114]), and anxiety followed by depression (estimate = 0.113, 95% bootstrap CI [0.098, 0.130]). The OCS × IA interaction in the anxiety equation was statistically significant but small (B = 0.0057, SE = 0.0015, t = 3.71, p < .001). Concurrent measurement prevents conclusions about temporal ordering or causality.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -