Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia | Society of Clinical Psychology

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DIAGNOSIS: Insomnia
TREATMENT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

2015 EST Status: StrongResearch Support (SEE REPORT)Very strong: High-quality evidence that treatment improves symptoms and functional outcomes at post-treatment and follow-up; little risk of harm; requires reasonable amount of resources; effective in non-research settings

Strong: Moderate- to high-quality evidence that treatment improves symptoms OR functional outcomes; not a high risk of harm; reasonable use of resources

Weak: Low or very low-quality evidence that treatment produces clinically meaningful effects on symptoms or functional outcomes; Gains from the treatment may not warrant resources involved

Insufficient Evidence: No meta-analytic study could be identified

Insufficient Evidence: Existing meta-analyses are not of sufficient quality

Treatment pending re-evaluation

1998 EST Status: Strong Research Support Strong: Support from two well-designed studies conducted by independent investigators.

Modest: Support from one well-designed study or several adequately designed studies.

Controversial: Conflicting results, or claims regarding mechanisms are unsupported.

Strength of Research Support

Empirical Review Status

2015 Criteria
(Tolin et al. Recommendation)

Very Strong

Strong

Weak

Insufficient Evidence

Treatment pending re-evaluation

1998 Criteria
(Chambless et al. EST)

Strong

Modest

Controversial

Find a Therapist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for InsomniaList your practice

Brief Summary

Basic premise: The interaction between cognitive and behavioral factors is the key mechanism involved in the perpetuation of insomnia.
Essence of therapy: Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia focuses on teaching techniques to modify sleep disruptive behaviors and cognitions that interfere with normal sleep and contribute to insomnia.
Length: approx. 6 sessions

For further information about the "strong" 2015 EST rating, read the systematic review that led to this decision here.

Treatment Resources

Editors:John Otis, PhD

Note: The resources provided below are intended to supplement not replace foundational training in mental health treatment and evidence-based practice

Treatment Manuals Training Resources Measures, Handouts and Worksheets Self-help Books Smartphone Apps Video Demonstrations Video Descriptions Clinical Trials Meta-Analyses and Systematic Reviews Other Treatment Resources

Treatment Manuals / Outlines

Treatment Manuals

Important Note: The books listed above are based on empirically-supported in-person treatments. They have not necessarily been evaluated empirically either by themselves or in conjunction with in-person treatment. We list them as a resource for clinicians who assign them as an adjunct to conducting in-person treatment.

Smartphone Apps

CBT-i Coach (US Dept of Veterans Affairs)

Clinical Trials

A randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: An effective treatment for comorbid insomnia and depression (Ashworth et al., 2015)
An open trial of cognitive therapy for chronic insomnia (Harvey et al., 2007)
Randomized placebo-controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy and armodafinil for insomnia after cancer treatment (Roscoe et al., 2015)

Meta-analyses and Systematic Reviews

Comparative meta-analysis of behavioral interventions for insomnia and their efficacy in middle-aged adults and in older adults 55+ years of age (Irwin, Cole, & Nicassio, 2006)
Nonpharmacological interventions for insomnia: A meta‐analysis of treatment efficacy (Morin, Culbert, & Schwartz, 1994)
Identifying effective psychological treatments for insomnia: a meta‐analysis (Murtagh & Greenwood, 1995)
A meta-analysis on the treatment effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for primary insomnia (Okajima, Komada, & Inoue, 2011)

Other Treatment Resources

Hyperarousal and insomnia (Bonnet & Arand, 1997)
A neurobiological model of insomnia (Buysse et al., 2011)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy for primary insomnia (Edinger & Means, 2005)
A cognitive model of insomnia (Harvey, 2002)
Insomnia, psychiatric disorders, and the transdiagnostic perspective (Harvey, 2008)
The delivery of behavioral sleep medicine to college students (Kloss et al., 2011)
Sleep patterns and predictors of disturbed sleep in a large population of college students (Lund et al., 2010)
Nonpharmacologic treatment of chronic insomnia: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine review (Morin et al., 1999)
Chronic insomnia (Morin & Benca, 2012)
Self-reported sleep disturbance as a prodromal symptom in recurrent depression (Perlis et al., 1997)
The hyperarousal model of insomnia: A review of the concept and its evidence (Riemann et al., 2010)
Clinical guideline for the evaluation and management of chronic insomnia in adults (Schutte-Rodin et al., 2008)
Who is a candidate for cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia? (Smith & Perlis, 2006)
A behavioral perspective on insomnia treatment (Spielman, Caruso, & Glovinsky, 1987)

DIAGNOSIS: Insomnia TREATMENT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

1998 EST Status: Strong Research Support Strong: Support from two well-designed studies conducted by independent investigators. Modest: Support from one well-designed study or several adequately designed studies. Controversial: Conflicting results, or claims regarding mechanisms are unsupported.