Cognitive-behavioral treatment of insomnia secondary to chronic pain

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology Vol. 68; no. 3; p. 407
• Main Authors: Currie, S R, Wilson, K G, Pontefract, A J, deLaplante, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.2000
• Subjects: Adult; Chronic Disease; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - methods; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pain - complications; Pain - etiology; Psychotherapy, Brief - methods; Sleep; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - classification; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - etiology; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - therapy; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0022-006X
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.68.3.407

Sixty participants with insomnia secondary to chronic pain were assigned randomly to either a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or a self-monitoring/waiting-list control condition. The therapy consisted of a multicomponent 7-week group intervention aimed at promoting good sleep habits, teaching relaxation skills, and changing negative thoughts about sleep. Treated participants were significantly more improved than control participants on self-report measures of sleep onset latency, wake time after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality, and they showed less motor activity in ambulatory recordings of nocturnal movement. At a 3-month follow-up assessment, treated participants showed good maintenance of most therapeutic gains. These results provide the 1st evidence from a randomized controlled trial that CBT is an effective treatment for insomnia that is secondary to chronically painful medical conditions.