Effectiveness of Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention for Treating Insomnia

Phase 1

Completed

• Conditions: Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
• Interventions: Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) delivered over the Internet

• Registration Number: NCT00328250
• Lead Sponsor: University of Virginia

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an online cognitive behavioral therapy intervention in improving sleep, mood, and cognitive functioning in people with insomnia.

Detailed Description

Insomnia is a disorder that is characterized by a perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep. Symptoms of insomnia include difficulty falling asleep, waking frequently during the night and having difficulty returning to sleep, waking too early in the morning, and unrefreshing sleep. Insomnia may also cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, difficulty concentrating, and irritability. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been found to have significant short- and long-term benefits for people with insomnia. Access to CBT for many people, however, is limited, due to the high cost of treatment and a lack of trained professionals in some locations. Delivering CBT via the internet could help make the treatment more widely available. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of an online CBT intervention in improving sleep, mood, and cognitive functioning in people with insomnia.

Participants in this open label study will be randomly assigned to receive the online CBT intervention either immediately or after a 4-month waiting period. Participants will use the online program for 1 to 2 hours per week for 8 weeks. Participants will keep track of their sleep patterns for the first and last 2 weeks of a 4-month period by keeping a daily diary and wearing a wrist watch device that monitors movement. All participants will report to the study site for baseline evaluations before beginning treatment and for final evaluations upon completing the program, about 4 months after study entry.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2006-05-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2006-05-17
• Study First Posted: 2006-05-19
• Study Start: 2006-10
• Primary Completion: 2009-07
• Study Completion: 2009-07
• Status Verified: 2012-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-01-11
• Last Update Posted: 2012-01-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 44

Inclusion Criteria

• Subjective complaints of poor sleep
• Difficulties falling and/or staying asleep (sleep onset latency and/or wake after sleep onset is greater than 30 minutes; sleep efficiency is less than 85%)
• Sleep difficulties at least 3 nights per week
• Sleep difficulties have persisted for more than 6 months
• At least one daytime problem due to poor sleep (e.g., fatigue, performance impairment, or mood disturbance)
• Daytime problems due to sleep disturbances cause marked distress or significant impairment in social or occupational functioning
• Has internet access

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of other sleep disorders (as evaluated by specific questions from structured interview) (e.g., sleep apnea, periodic leg movements while sleeping, or parasomnias)
• Significant psychological distress (including clinical depression and anxiety), as determined using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), STPI, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), and clinical interview
• Substance use or medical condition that causes sleep problems
• Currently receiving psychological treatment
• Taking medications that have not been stabilized for the 3 months prior to study entry
• Regularly goes to sleep after 2am or wakes after 9am
• Shift worker

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
1	Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) delivered over the Internet	Participants will receive the online CBT intervention immediately and will use the online program for 8 weeks
2	Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) delivered over the Internet	Participants will receive the online CBT intervention after a 4-month waiting period

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Sleep efficiency, total sleep time, total wake time, sleep-onset latency, wake after sleep onset, and early morning awakening	Measured at baseline and Months 3 and 9
Insomnia Severity Index	Measured at baseline and Months 3 and 9
Beliefs and attitudes about sleep as measured by the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep scale (DBAS 16)	Measured at baseline and Month 3
Sleep knowledge	Measured at baseline and Month 3
Fatigue as measured by the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory (MFSI)	Measured at baseline and Month 3
Depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory 2	Measured at baseline and Month 3
Anxiety as measured by the State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI)	Measured at baseline and Month 3
Cognitive functioning as measured by the Headminder's Customized Research Tool (CRT) and Conner's Continuous Performance Test (CPT)	Measured at baseline and Month 3

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Cost-benefit measures (direct and indirect costs associated with insomnia)	Measured at baseline and Months 3 and 9
Quality of life as measured by the SF-12 Health Survey	Measured at baseline and Month 3
Feedback regarding use of the internet intervention, including post-treatment ratings of treatment credibility, acceptability, effectiveness, satisfaction, and ease of use of the internet	Measured at Month 3

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Virginia Health System, Behavioral Health and Technology; 🇺🇸 Charlottesville, Virginia, United States