A poster of exploratory qualitative study regarding sleep as explanatory model of mental illness.

1. SOMNUS’S BIND: A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING SLEEP AS AN EXPLANATORY MODEL OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Muhammad Faisal Amir Malik
1
Afeera Sundas
2
Ifrah Nisar
2
Bahjat Najeeb
1
Institute of Psychiatry, Rawalpindi Medical University
1
, COMSATS University, Islamabad
2
Background: Explanatory models
mediate the understanding of, and
response to, the experiences of illness or
distress. Somatic symptoms, including
sleep, play an important role in the
cultural explanations of mental illness.
Aims and objectives:
•To explore the explanatory models of
individuals with mental illness who
describe sleep as the primary cause of
their illness.
•To explore how the explanatory models
revolving around sleep shape the
behaviour and treatment-seeking of
individuals.
Methods:
An exploratory ‘phenomenological’
qualitative study was carried out in the
outpatient department of a psychiatric
facility.
A questionnaire was developed using
input from two experts and refined using
pilot interviews. In-depth 1-to-1 semi-
structured interviews were carried out to
explore the beliefs about the role and
impact of sleep on mental health and
how these beliefs impact their
expectations from treatment, health-
seeking behaviors, and interactions with
the healthcare system. An iterative
approach was used to refine focus on
the themes that emerged via interviews.
Framework thematic analysis techniques
were used to develop themes from the
data.
Results:
The data was generated and organized
around the following themes: meaning-
making model revolving around sleep
issues, the impact of sleep issues on
social and personal functioning,
loneliness in suffering owing to lack of
understanding by others, the evolution
of the explanatory model through illness
experience, expectations and beliefs
about treatment, health-seeking
behaviour including use of
benzodiazepines, and interactions of the
explanatory model held by patients with
healthcare professionals including
primary care and mental health
professionals.
Strength: The study was carried out by a
diverse team of psychiatrists and
psychologists who are fluent in the local
language and aware of the idioms used
by patients.
Conclusions: Sleep is not only a major
component of the experience of mental
illness but also plays a central role in the
explanation of disease and health-
seeking behaviours.
Drag your
recorded video
(small image of
yourself) here