Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies and Insomnia or Other Psychiatric Symptoms among Humidifier Disinfectant Victims

• Main Authors: Seockhoon Chung, Suk-Hoon Kang, Kukju Kweon, Soyoung Youn, Hyang Soon Kang, Sang-Bum Hong, Soo-Jong Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Society of Sleep Medicine 2018-06-01
• Series: Sleep Medicine Research
• Subjects: Humidifiers; Disinfectants; Adaptation; Insomnia
• Online Access: http://www.sleepmedres.org/upload/pdf/smr-2018-00136.pdf

Background and Objective In South Korea, numerous people have died of lung injury from humidifier disinfectant. The objective of this study was to explore the association between cognitive emotion regulation strategies for victims of humidifier disinfectant accidents in Korea and their insomnia and other psychiatric problems. Methods Among 196 subjects experiencing humidifier disinfectant-related interstitial pneumonitis, 40 subjects were assessed for their psychological states between June 2015 and May 2016. Their psychiatric symptoms were assessed using Insomnia Severity Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, posttraumatic stress disorder Checklist for DSM-5, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Results Subjects’ adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies were not correlated with rating scale scores. However, total score of maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategy was significantly correlated with all rating scale scores (all p < 0.01). Among maladaptive strategies, rumination and catastrophizing strategies were significantly correlated with severity of insomnia and other psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions There was an association between victims’ maladaptive coping strategies and insomnia or other psychiatric symptoms. Thus, managing their coping strategies is necessary to help them survive in their current environment.