Rest to Overcome Loss and Reduce Risk

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Inflammation; Bereavement; Spouses; Sleep Disturbance; Quality of Life
• Interventions: Other: Information-Only Control; Behavioral: Targeted Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia

• Registration Number: NCT05803499
• Lead Sponsor: Northwestern University

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to develop and optimize a targeted behavioral intervention for sleep disturbance among individuals who have recently lost a spouse/long-term cohabitating partner. In the first phase of this study, patient focus groups were conducted to gather information about the unique sleep challenges experienced by spousally bereaved individuals and the kinds of support they would like to receive from a program based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). In the second phase of the study, a two-arm randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare changes in sleep and inflammation among participants in the targeted CBT-I intervention to those in an information-only control. Participants will be asked to attend two in-person visits (at baseline and, approx. 8 weeks later, at post-treatment) to provide a blood sample and have vital signs and basic anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference) taken. After their baseline visit, participants will be randomized into either the targeted CBT-I intervention or the information-only control. The targeted CBT-I intervention will entail 6 online sessions (approx. 50 mins. each) delivered via videoconference by a trained facilitator, once per week over the course of approx. 6 weeks. The information-only control will entail 1 online session (approx. 50 mins.) delivered via videoconference by a trained facilitator. Sleep data (collected via both actigraphy watches and patient self-report sleep diaries) and data on mood, grief, and sleep habits will be collected from participants at three timepoints (baseline, post-treatment, and then again at a 6-month follow-up).

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-02-21
• Study Start: 2023-03-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-03-27
• Study First Posted: 2023-04-07
• Primary Completion: 2024-12-31
• Status Verified: 2025-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-08
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-09
• Study Completion: 2025-08-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years or older
• Has experienced the loss of a spouse/long-term cohabitating partner (i.e., partner who lived with participant for at least 1 year before passing) within the past 3 months
• Scores 5 or above on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI; administered by research staff during phone screening call)
• Must have access to an internet-enabled device (e.g., smartphone, computer, tablet) to take part in the online intervention

Exclusion Criteria

• Under age 18
• Non-English speakers
• Those with a previously diagnosed sleep disorder (e.g., restless leg syndrome; note: individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) will be eligible as long as they use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at least 5 days a week for at least 5 hours per day)
• Those who have been taking prescribed sleep medication(s) for 6 months or more
• Those with autoimmune or inflammatory diseases (such as: acute or chronic immune system medical conditions, medications or other conditions that impact immune function (e.g., chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS], lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], Hepatitis C, or any other immunosuppressive treatment requiring conditions, per investigator discretion).
• Those who regularly use illegal substances.
• Those who are on medications with major immunological consequences (e.g. steroids)
• Women who are pregnant or nursing
• Those who have been vaccinated in the past two weeks (note: these individuals may simply delay enrollment by two weeks if otherwise eligible)
• Those with significant visual or auditory impairment, medical or psychiatric condition that is unstable, requires immediate treatment or is judged to interfere with study protocol (e.g., substance abuse, psychotic disorder, cognitive disorder, current suicidal ideation)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Information-Only Control	Information-Only Control	The information-only control consists of 1, 50-60-minute online individual session delivered via video conference. Content will provide basic psychoeducation about sleep and aging.
Targeted Intervention for Sleep and Bereavement (Targeted CBT-I)	Targeted Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia	This intervention consists of 6, 50-60-minute online individual sessions delivered via video conference. Content will include a CBT-I based program adapted to the specific needs of spousally bereaved individuals.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Feasibility of recruitment	Approx. 18 months	Feasibility of recruitment will also be measured by the proportion of eligible participants who are enrolled (consented) and randomized.
Adherence to the intervention	Approx. 6 months	Adherence to the intervention will be measured by the number of sessions attended by participants.
Preliminary change in sleep disturbance	Approx. 6 months	Using the previously validated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), change in sleep disturbance will be assessed from baseline to 1. post-intervention (6-8 weeks later), and a 2. six-month follow-up. Global scores on the PSQI range from 0 to 21, with a higher score indicating more severe sleep disturbance.
Treatment-specific retention rates	Approx. 6 months	Treatment-specific retention will be measured by the percentage of participants who complete the post-treatment assessment in each arm.
Acceptability	Approx. 6 months	The acceptability of the intervention will be demonstrated by ≥ 85% completion of the study protocol across the sample.
Attrition	Approx. 6 months	Attrition will be measured at each follow-up visit (post intervention and 6-month follow-up) and will be defined by the percentage of randomized participants who did not attend the follow-up visit. Causes of attrition will be measured by analyzing reasons for participant drop-out as documented over the course of the study.
Treatment-specific acceptability	Approx. 6 months	Treatment-specific acceptability will be measured by preference ratings gathered during the post-treatment debriefing session for each arm.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Preliminary change in inflammation	Approx. 8 weeks	Changes in inflammation will be measured via inflammatory marker values in participant blood samples (interleukin 6 \[IL-6\], interleukin 8 \[IL-8\], interleukin 10 \[IL-10\], tumor necrosis factor alpha \[TNF-α\]) and will be assessed from baseline to post-intervention (6-8 weeks later).
Preliminary change in quality of life	Approx. 6 months	Using the previously validated Research and Development (RAND) Corporation 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), change in self-reported quality of life (General Health Subscale) will be assessed from baseline to 1. post-intervention (6-8 weeks later), and a 2. six-month follow-up. The General Health Subscale of the SF-36 ranges from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating more favorable quality of life.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; 🇺🇸 Chicago, Illinois, United States