Cognitive-behavioral treatment of insomnia secondary to chronic pain

J Consult Clin Psychol. 2000 Jun;68(3):407-16. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.68.3.407.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 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