Turkarslan, Kutlu KaganCinarbas, Deniz CanelPerogamvros, LamprosDepartment of Psychology2024-07-052024-07-05202320147-59161573-281910.1007/s10608-023-10442-02-s2.0-85174185633https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-023-10442-0https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14411/2157Türkarslan, Kutlu Kağan/0000-0002-2440-3977; Perogamvros, Lampros/0000-0001-7558-9612Purpose Researchers have proposed that multiple factors such as hyperarousal, conditioning, worrying, or cortical arousal play roles in the predisposition to, initiation, and perpetuation of insomnia disorder. Previously, only a few studies investigated the differential effects of intrusive visual imagery (IVI) and intrusive verbal thoughts (IVT) on pre-sleep arousal or insomnia severity. The aim of the current cross-sectional study was to examine these effects as well as the moderator role of visual imagery ability (VIA) on the relationship between IVI and pre-sleep arousal.Methods A path model comprising the variables of IVI, IVT, pre-sleep arousal, and insomnia severity was tested with 166 of 1444 participants (M-age = 25.5, SD = 5.26) who were identified as having insomnia disorder based on a 12-question form corresponding to DSM-5 criteria for insomnia disorder and Insomnia Severity Index scores (>= 8). The moderator role of VIA on the relationship between IVI and pre-sleep arousal was evaluated with a moderation analysis.Results It was found that IVI (beta = 0.44, p < .001), but not IVT (beta = 0.15, p = .12), significantly predicted pre-sleep arousal and pre-sleep arousal (beta = 0.44, p < .001) significantly predicted insomnia severity. In addition, the indirect effect of IVI via pre-sleep arousal (IE = 0.19, p < .001) on insomnia severity was significant. Finally, the moderator role of VIA on the relationship between IVI and pre-sleep arousal (p = .07) was not significant.Conclusions IVI may play a more important role in insomnia disorder than IVT. Interventions targeting pre-sleep visual imagery can help poor sleepers alleviate insomnia severity.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessInsomniaPre-sleep arousalIntrusive visual imageryIntrusive verbal thoughtsVisual imagery abilityArticleQ2WOS:001084684400002