Quantitative criteria for insomnia
Abstract
Formal diagnostic systems (DSM-IV, ICSD, and ICD-10) do not provide adequate quantitative criteria to diagnose insomnia. This may not present a serious problem in clinical settings where extensive interviews determine the need for clinical management. However, lack of standard criteria introduce disruptive variability into the insomnia research domain. The present study reviewed two decades of psychology clinical trials for insomnia to determine common practice with regard to frequency, severity, and duration criteria for insomnia. Modal patterns established frequency (> or =3 nights a week) and duration (> or =6 months) standard criteria. We then applied four versions of severity criteria to a random sample and used sensitivity-specificity analyses to identify the most valid criterion. We found that severity of sleep onset latency or wake time after sleep onset of: (a) > or =31 min; (b) occurring > or =3 nights a week; (c) for > or =6 months are the most defensible quantitative criteria for insomnia.
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Although no specific quantitative sleep parameters define insomnia disorder, common complaints for insomnia patients are an average sleep latency >30 minutes, wake after sleep onset >30 minutes, sleep efficiency <85%, and/or total sleep time <6.5 hours.
“Although no specific quan -titative sleep parameters define insomnia disorder, common complaints for insomnia patients are an average sleep latency >30 minutes, wake after sleep onset >30 minutes, sleep effi -ciency <85%, and/or total sleep time <6.5 hours. 19,20”
From Clinical Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Insomnia in Adults (2008) · cites this paper as [19]
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- Authors
- Lichstein, K. L., Durrence, H. H., Taylor, D. J., Bush, A. J., & Riedel, B. W.
- Affiliations
- University of Memphis (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lichstein, K.L.
- ORCID
- Taylor, D.J.
- Venue
- Behaviour Research and Therapy
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-04
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 427-445
- ISSN
- 0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2044353450
- Cited by
- 531
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 37 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 13.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (AG12136, #AG14738, R01AG014738, R01AG012136)
- 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
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Keywords
- insomnia, sleep latency, wake after sleep onset, severity criteria, sensitivity and specificity, clinical trials, DSM-IV, ICD-10, ICSD
- MeSH terms
- Clinical Trials as Topic, Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Predictive Value of Tests, Research Design, Severity of Illness Index, Sleep Stages, Time Factors
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