Observational study of the relationship between negative cognitive processing bias and mental health, sleep quality in the early and middle stages of peacekeeping mission

Abstract: To examine the correlation between negative cognitive processing bias and the mental health, sleep status of peacekeepers across various time periods to establish a benchmark for peacekeeper mental health interventions. Symptom checklist 90 (SCL-90), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and negative cognitive processing bias questionnaire (NCPBQ) were adopted to investigate 172 Chinese peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the early and middle stages of the mission. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall score of PSQI between the early and middle stages of the mission (P = .699). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the overall score of SCL-90 and NCPBQ (P < .05). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the negative cognitive processing bias and the scores of SCL-90 and PSQI (R = 0.114-0.528, P < .05). A negative cognitive processing bias was also found to be a strong predictor of the overall score on the SCL-90 and PSQI assessments, with explanation rates of 27.3% and 17.5%, respectively. Peacekeepers are prone to experiencing psychological issues during the initial phase of their mission, necessitating careful attention. The presence of negative cognitive processing bias significantly impacts both mental health and sleep quality. Alleviating negative cognitive processing bias can potentially enhance the mental well-being and sleep quality of peacekeepers.

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