Sleep Treatment Education Program for Young Adult Cancer Survivors (STEP-YA)

This study is a randomized controlled trial of young adult cancer survivors with clinically significant symptoms of insomnia to evaluate the cognitive-behavioral based Sleep Treatment Education Program for Young Adult Cancer Survivors (STEP-YA).

All participants will take part in a single STEP-YA session, during which they will complete baseline measures prior to randomization and then receive the STEP-YA intervention. Participants will then be randomly assigned to receive the STEP-YA intervention either, 1) alone (non-coaching condition), or 2) with the addition of 2 remote coaching sessions (coaching condition). Participants will also complete follow-up measures 4 and 8 weeks post-baseline.

It expected that about 74 people will take part in this study

Inclusion criteria

To be determined by patient self-report from eligibility screening with potential participants. (See Appendix A for eligibility screening materials). Participants must be screened for eligibility ≤2 weeks prior to study enrollment. Participants who are screened earlier must be rescreened within this period.

• Age 20-39
• History of a cancer diagnosis (except non-melanoma skin cancer) ≥ 1 year prior
• No active cancer therapy (excluding chemoprevention) in the past four months, and no further therapy planned
• Significant insomnia as evidenced by an Insomnia Severity Index score ≥12
• Able to read and write in English

Exclusion criteria

• Survivors who report ever being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
• Survivors who report ever being diagnosed with a Seizure Disorder or have experienced a seizure in the past 12 months.
• Intention to adjust (decrease or increase) use of any prescribed or over-the-counter medications taken to decrease insomnia during the study period.
• Survivors who report being diagnosed with sleep apnea who are not receiving recommended medical treatment for their sleep apnea (as assessed by screening questions, see Appendix A).
• Survivors who report suspected sleep apnea who have not completed an evaluation by a sleep specialist (as assessed by screening questions, see Appendix A).
• Survivors who report their usual bedtime does not fall between 5:00 pm and 5:00 am.
• Employment that involves irregular sleep patterns, such as shift-work or frequent long-distance travel across time zones, or employment in a position that could impact public safety (such as air traffic-controller, operating heavy machinery)
• Any impairment (e.g., hearing, visual, cognitive) that interferes with the ability to complete all study procedures independently.
• Prior participation in a research study which provided an educational or behavioral intervention for insomnia
• Prior participation in a behavioral treatment or patient education program for insomnia delivered at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, or at Boston Children's Hospital.
• Participation in behavioral or educational interventions for insomnia in the 2 years prior to enrollment. This includes in-person as well as synchronous and asynchronous online insomnia programs, but not independent use of books, workbooks or other written self-help materials addressing insomnia.