The Role of Partial Reinforcement in the Long Term Management of Insomnia

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with insomnia will meet RDC criteria for psychophysiologic insomnia(99). These criteria are provided in Appendix 2. In addition, the complaint of disturbed sleep will have one or more of the following characteristics:

• > 30 minutes to fall asleep (Initial Insomnia)
• 2 awakenings per night of >15 minutes duration and/or wake after sleep onset time of > 30 minutes (Middle Insomnia)
• An awakening of > 30 minutes prior to the desired "wake up" time (Late Insomnia)
• Any two of the above complaints (Mixed Insomnia)

Additionally, total sleep time will not exceed 6 hours (unless the sleep efficiency quotient is < 80%) and the problem frequency must be equal to or greater than 4 nights/ week (severe insomnia) with a problem duration > 6 months (chronic insomnia). This profile must be evident at both intake (based on retrospective reports) and as an average profile from the two weeks of baseline diaries (based on prospective sampling).

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable medical or psychiatric illness Assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version (SADS-L) To assure that the insomnia is not secondary to these factors
• Symptoms suggestive of sleep disorders other than insomnia Assessed with the SDS-CL To assure that the insomnia is not secondary to these factors
• Polysomnographic data indicating sleep disorders other than insomnia Assessed with PSG in collaboration with our sleep medicine consultants To assure that the insomnia is not secondary to these factors
• History of head injury with a sustained loss of consciousness Assessed by self report during the Intake Interview To help assure that the EEG measures are unconfounded by brain damage
• Evidence of active illicit substance use or fitting criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence Assessed with a structured psychiatric interview schedule (the MINI) , written versions of clinical interview queries regarding alcohol use, abuse and dependence (the AUDIT and CAGE), the toxicology screen which is part of the clinical chemistries obtained during the screening physical. To assure that the insomnia is not secondary to these factors and to assure that substance use/abuse does not confound treatment.
• Use of CNS active medications, antidepressants, and hypnotics other than zolpidem Assessed by self report and from the toxicology screen which is part of the clinical chemistries obtained during the screening physical. To help assure that the clinical effects observed in this study are due to the study medication and schedule of reinforcement.
• Inadequate language comprehension Informally, assessed by the Clinical Research Coordinator during Intake Interview To assure the quality of self report data as all the measures are in English.
• Pregnancy Assessed by self report and from the clinical chemistries data obtained during the screening physical. Excluded so as to 1) prevent the fetus from exposure to the study medication (although it should be noted that the medication is considered FDA pregnancy category B) and 2) control for the biopsychosocial changes that occur with pregnancy and may alter the response to the study medication and schedule of reinforcement.
• No first-degree relatives with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia Assessed by self report and a structured psychiatric interview schedule (the SADs). Excluded to reduce risk for first onset during the study