ETD

• attachment style
• mood
• separation anxiety
• sleep

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD), traditionally conceptualized as a childhood condition, is increasingly recognized for its persistence and clinical relevance in adulthood. Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder (ASAD) is characterized by excessive distress related to real or anticipated separation from attachment figures and is frequently associated with significant functional impairment. Sleep disturbances represent a core feature of SAD and are explicitly included among diagnostic criteria. The relationship between separation anxiety and sleep appears bidirectional, with anxiety impairing sleep initiation and maintenance, while chronic sleep disruption exacerbates emotional dysregulation. Furthermore, ASAD commonly co-occurs with mood and anxiety disorders in which sleep disturbances are highly prevalent, suggesting shared underlying mechanisms involving emotional regulation, stress response systems, and circadian rhythms.
The main aims of this study was to investigate the relationship between separation anxiety and sleep disturbances in adult patients with mood and anxiety disorders. Furtermore, the relationship between sleep patterns and attachment styles measured by RQ and ASQ was also explored. These findings suggest that adult separation anxiety contributes independently to sleep impairment in individuals with mood and anxiety disorders. Therefore, elucidating this relationship would provide clinically relevant insights for the assessment and treatment of these patients.