Better Sleep in Psychiatric Care - Depression, Anxiety and Trauma, Pilot Study

Between 50-80 percent of patients in psychiatry have insomnia-type sleep problems. In addition to reduced quality of life and impaired function, sleep problems can aggravate other psychiatric problems and increase the risk of relapse into, for example, depression. According to international guidelines, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i) should be used as the first choice for treatment of insomnia. In practice, however, it is very uncommon for psychiatric patients to be offered CBT-i, instead most are treated with sleep medications. There is also a lack of research studies evaluating CBT-i in regular clinical practice.

This pilot study investigated the feasibility of a group treatment with CBT-i at a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Stockholm for patients with depression, bipolar disorder II, anxiety syndrome and PTSD. Changes in symptoms of insomnia, depression, and anxiety after treatment were also investigated.

Patients with self-perceived sleep problems were offered a six-session group treatment based on CBT-i. The primary outcome was clinical feasibility, defined as: the influx of patients sufficient to start at least one group per semester (at least 8 patients); at least half of included patients participate in the first session; patients participate in at least half of the sessions; less than half of the patients drop out of treatment; group leaders find the treatment manual credible, easy to use and want to continue working with it after the study is completed.

Secondary outcomes were changes in insomnia symptoms, and changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety.