Does cognitive-behavioral insomnia therapy alter dysfunctional beliefs about sleep?

STUDY OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to exam the degree to which cognitive-behavioral insomnia therapy (CBT) reduces dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and to determine if such cognitive changes correlate with sleep improvements.

DESIGN

The study used a double-blind, placebo-controlled design in which participants were randomized to CBT, progressive muscle relaxation training or a sham behavioral intervention. Each treatment was provided in 6 weekly, 30-60-minute individual therapy sessions.

SETTING

The sleep disorders center of a large university medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Seventy-five individuals (ages 40 to 80 years of age) who met strict criteria for persistent primary sleep-maintenance insomnia were enrolled in this trial.

INTERVENTIONS

N/A.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Participants completed the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep (DBAS) Scale, as well as other assessment procedures before treatment, shortly after treatment, and at a six-month follow-up. Items composing a factor-analytically derived DBAS short form (DBAS-SF) were then used to compare treatment groups across time points. Results showed CBT produced larger changes on the DBAS-SF than did the other treatments, and these changes endured through the follow-up period. Moreover, these cognitive changes were correlated with improvements noted on both objective and subjective measures of insomnia symptoms, particularly within the CBT group.

CONCLUSIONS

CBT is effective for reducing dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and such changes are associated with other positive outcomes in insomnia treatment.