ACT-i, an insomnia intervention for autistic adults: a pilot study

Abstract

AbstractBackground:Insomnia and disturbed sleep are more common in autistic adults compared with non-autistic adults, contributing to significant social, psychological and health burdens. However, sleep intervention research for autistic adults is lacking.Aims:The aim of the study was to implement an acceptance and commitment therapy group insomnia intervention (ACT-i) tailored for autistic adults to examine its impact on insomnia and co-occurring mental health symptoms.Method:Eight individuals (6 male, 2 female) aged between 18 and 70 years, with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, and scores ranging from 9 to 26 on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) participated in the trial. Participants were assigned to one of two intervention groups (4 per group) within a multiple baseline over time design for group. Participants completed questionnaires pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 2-month follow-up, actigraphy 1 week prior to intervention and 1 week post-intervention, and a daily sleep diary from baseline to 1 week post-intervention, and 1 week at follow-up.Results:At a group level there were significant improvements in ISI (λ2=10.17, p=.006) and HADS-A (anxiety) (λ2=8.40, p=.015) scores across the three time points. Clinically reliable improvement occurred for ISI scores (n=5) and HADS-A scores (n=4) following intervention. Client satisfaction indicated that ACT-i was an acceptable intervention to the participants (median 4 out of 5).Conclusions:This pilot study with eight autistic adults indicates that ACT-i is both an efficacious and acceptable intervention for reducing self-reported insomnia and anxiety symptoms in autistic adults.