Cited by 336Sleep and related disordersAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychotherapy Techniques and Applications

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a meta-analysis of long-term effects in controlled studies

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van der Zweerde, Tanja, Bisdounis, Lampros, Kyle, Simon D., Lancee, Jaap, van Straten, Annemieke·2019·Sleep Medicine Reviews

Abstract

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a treatment with moderate to large effects. These effects are believed to be sustained long-term, but no systematic meta-analyses of recent evidence exist. In this present meta-analysis, we investigate long-term effects in 30 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CBT-I to non-active control groups. The primary analyses (n = 29 after excluding one study which was an outlier) showed that CBT-I is effective at 3-, 6- and 12-mo compared to non-active controls: Hedges g for Insomnia severity index: 0.64 (3 m), 0.40 (6 m) and 0.25 (12 m); sleep onset latency: 0.38 (3 m), 0.29 (6 m) and 0.40 (12 m); sleep efficiency: 0.51 (3 m), 0.32 (6 m) and 0.35 (12 m). We demonstrate that although effects decline over time, CBT-I produces clinically significant effects that last up to a year after therapy.

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  • Studies with longer follow-ups generally found smaller effects (although still statistically significant), most likely due to the diminishing effects of interventions on sleep quality over time.

    “Those that did report longer follow-ups generally found smaller effects (although still statistically significant), most likely due to the diminishing effects of interventions on sleep quality over time [91].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Kyle SD, Espie CA, Morgan K. Quality of life and daytime functioning in insomnia. Behav Sleep Med 2010;8:123e40.
  2. Morin CM, Valli eres A, Guay B, Ivers H, Savard J, M erette C, et al. Cognitive behavioral therapy, singly and combined with medication, for persistent insomnia: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2009;301:2005e15. *
  3. Edinger JD, Wohlgemuth WK, Krystal AD, Rice JR. Behavioral insomnia therapy for fibromyalgia patients. Arch Intern Med 2005;165:2527e35.
  4. Tolin DF. Is cognitiveebehavioral therapy more effective than other thera- pies? A meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev 2010;30:710e20.

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Authors
van der Zweerde, T., Bisdounis, L., Kyle, S. D., Lancee, J., & van Straten, A.
Affiliations
  • University of Amsterdam (NL)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • PsyQ (NL)
Venue
Sleep Medicine Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-12
Volume
48
Pages
101208
ISSN
1087-0792 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2967986432
Cited by
336
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 50 · 2025: 56 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 59 · 2022: 56 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 2
FWCI
4.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Sleep Medicine Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • UvA-DARE (University of Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institute for Health Research
  • Manchester Biomedical Research Centre
  • NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Keywords
cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, insomnia, long-term treatment outcomes, treatment durability, sleep latency, sleep efficiency, Insomnia Severity Index
MeSH terms
Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

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