Structural Modeling of the Predictive Roles of Sleep Quality, Spiritual Health, and Mindfulness in Thought Rumination

Abstract

Introduction: Rumination is considered one of the underlying mechanisms of depression. Several factors, including sleep quality, mindfulness, and spiritual health, may influence rumination. This research sought to determine the extent to which sleep quality, spiritual health, and mindfulness serve as predictors of rumination.

Methods: A descriptive correlational approach was adopted, and the data were subjected to structural equation modeling (SEM). The sample consisted of 400 married women in Tehran. Data were collected using the Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Spiritual Health Questionnaire, and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills. The collected data were processed through Pearson correlation coefficients alongside multivariable regression, conducted with SPSS version 22 and LISREL 8.5.

Results: The findings indicated that rumination was significantly predicted by spiritual health, mindfulness, and sleep quality. Together, these variables explained 49% of the variance in rumination (R2 = 0.491). A significant negative association was observed between rumination and spiritual health (r=-0.263,p<0.001), mindfulness (r=-0.364,p=0.001), and sleep quality (r=-0.458). The hypothesized structural model exhibited an acceptable level of goodness-of-fit indices.

Conclusion: Sleep quality, spiritual health, and mindfulness may be significant predictors of rumination among married women. These findings suggest that biological, cognitive, and spiritual factors should be considered in interventions targeting rumination