Cognitive and behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in psychiatric populations: A systematic review

Abstract

Insomnia is highly co-morbid with psychiatric disorders, making it a frequent issue in treatment planning in psychiatric clinics. Research has also shown that although insomnia may originally precede or be a consequence of a psychiatric disorder, insomnia likely becomes semi-independent, and may exacerbate those disorders if it is not addressed, leading to reduced treatment response. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is now recommended as the first line of treatment of primary insomnia. The research reviewed below indicates that CBT-I in patients with co-morbid depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse disorders is generally effective for insomnia and sometimes the co-morbid disorder as well. Although more research is needed before definitive recommendations can be made, it appears as though CBT-I is a viable approach to treating the patient with co-morbid insomnia and psychiatric disorders.

Acknowledgement

We would like to offer special thanks to Katherine Marczyk, who helped in compiling the large list of manuscripts and in building Table 1.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.