Document Type : Original article
Authors
Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University
Abstract
This study aimed to model the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive flexibility with the mediating role of mental fatigue.The present research is fundamental in terms of purpose and quantitative in nature and was conducted using a descriptive–correlational design and structural equation modeling. The study sample consisted of 457 students from Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the mental fatigue subscale of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) developed by Dennis and Vander Wal. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. The findings indicated that the proposed model demonstrated an acceptable fit to the data (RMSEA = .06, CFI = .92). Poor sleep quality was significantly associated with reduced cognitive flexibility (β = −.25,p = .001) and increased mental fatigue (β = .53, p = .001). In addition, mental fatigue was negatively associated with cognitive flexibility (β = −.39, p = .001). Structural equation modeling further revealed that mental fatigue significantly mediated the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive flexibility. The indirect effect of sleep quality on cognitive flexibility through mental fatigue was also significant (β = −.21, p = .001).Overall, the results suggest that poor sleep quality may impair cognitive flexibility by increasing mental fatigue among university students. These findings underscore the importance of promoting sleep hygiene and reducing mental fatigue to enhance cognitive functioning in academic settings.
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