Predictors of Sleep Quality in the Older Adults: An Application of Self-Regulation Theory

Objectives Studies have indicated that the rate of insomnia increases with ageing.This study aimed to determine the sleep quality and identify its predictors among Iranian older adults based on the selfregulation theory.Methods & Materials This cross-sectional study was conducted on 335 older adults from three comprehensive health centers in Neishabur, Iran, in 2024.To collect data, a demographic checklist, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and a researcher-made questionnaire based on the components of self-regulation theory were used.SPSS software, version 26 was utilized to analyze the collected data using both descriptive and inferential statistics.For all tests, the significance level was set at 0.05. ResultsThe majority of participants were female (51%) and married (73%).The results showed that 70.4% of older adults had poor sleep quality.The mean self-regulation score was 81.96±17.26,and the mean PSQI score was 8.54±4.65.Based on the results, the behavior evaluation and judgment domain of self-regulation had the highest power in predicting sleep quality (β=-0.274,P<0.001) compared to goalsetting (β=-0.201,P=0.001) and self-monitoring (β=-0.171,P=0.009) domains.Also, non-use of sleeping pills (β=-10.883,P<0.001), age (β=9.830,P<0.001), no history of underlying disease (β=-5.549,P<0.001), male gender (β=-5.485,P<0.001), behavior evaluation and judgment (β=-3.249,P<0.001), no history of psychological diseases (β=-2.972,P=0.003) and non-smoking (β=-2.931,P=0.004) were identified as predictors of sleep quality.Conclusion Based on the self-regulation theory, evaluation and judgment of behavior, goal setting, and self-monitoring are the predictors of sleep quality in Iranian older adults.Therefore, it is recommended to design appropriate interventions aimed at improving the sleep quality of older adults by focusing on these factors.