Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Adjunct Treatment to Light Therapy for Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study

Abstract

Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) is common among young people, but there is still no evidence-based treatment available. In the present study, the feasibility of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was evaluated as an additive treatment to light therapy (LT) in DSPD. A randomized controlled trial with participants aged 16 to 26 years received LT for two weeks followed by either four weeks of CBT or no treatment (NT). LT advanced sleep-wake rhythm in both groups. Comparing LT+CBT with LT+NT, no significant group differences were observed in the primary endpoints. Although anxiety and depression scores were low at pretreatment, they decreased significantly more in LT+CBT compared to LT+NT. The results are discussed and some suggestions are given for further studies.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The work was performed at the Sleep Medicine Center at the University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. The authors wish to thank all of the study participants.

FUNDING

The authors would like to acknowledge the Bror Gadelius Foundation and the Swedish Sleep Research Society, which supported parts of this study.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the Bror Gadelius Foundation and the Swedish Sleep Research Society, which supported parts of this study.