Sleep Quality and Psychological Distress in Chinese Nursing Interns: The Moderating Effect of Social Support in the Association with Anxiety and Depression

Abstract Background Nursing interns are at high risk of psychological distress due to academic and clinical stressors. While poor sleep quality is linked to anxiety and depression, the buffering role of social support remains underexplored in this population. Aims To explore the role of social support in regulating the relationship between sleep and mental health among nursing interns. Methods A total of 396 nursing interns completed self-administered questionnaires including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Hierarchical regression and simple slope analyses were used to test moderation effects. Results Poor sleep quality was significantly associated with higher anxiety (β=0.449, P