Advanced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Compared With CBT-I: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objectives: Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the first line treatment for insomnia. However, many patients remain with sleep disturbances even after undergoing CBT-I, and those with short sleep durations have shown fewer gains. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is one of the third wave of behavioral therapies, and it is useful in helping patients get flexibility of mind. Therefore, we incorporated its components into CBT-I, came up with an advanced CBT-I program that involves cognitive behavior therapy based on ACT, and examined its efficacy in comparison to that of CBT-I. Methods: Patients with chronic primary insomnia were recruited at the memory center of CHA University Hospital from June to August 2020. To examine the efficacy of advanced CBT-I compared to that of CBT-I, the patients (n=16) were assigned to two groups (CBT-I: n=6; advanced CBT-I: n=10). The patients in each group were treated for 4 weeks (8 sessions). The quality of sleep, severity of insomnia, sleepiness, depression, anxiety, acceptance, efforts to sleep, and dysfunctional beliefs concerning sleep were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Results: The severity of insomnia, quality of sleep, depression, anxiety, acceptance, efforts to sleep, and dysfunctional beliefs concerning sleep improved after both CBT-I and advanced CBT-I treatment. Conclusions: This study examined the efficacy of advanced CBT-I in improving the severity of insomnia, sleep quality, and other symptoms related to sleep. The results suggest that components of ACT were useful for insomnia.