Comparing the Effects of Cognitive-behavioral Therapy and Zolpidem 10 mg on Illness Perception and Sleep Efficiency in Individuals With Chronic Insomnia

This study aimed at comparing efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy, Zolpidem 10 mg, and waiting list group on illness perception and sleep efficiency in individuals with chronic insomnia disorder. 

Participants included 74 (female = 43) individuals with chronic insomnia disorder who were recruited from 2018 December to 2020 February by purposive sampling (inclusive & exclusive criteria). Then, patients randomly allocated to one of the three conditions, including cognitive behavioral therapy (N=25), pharmacotherapy (Zolpidem 10 mg.; N=29), and the waiting list (N=20). All patients were assessed three times at pretreatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up by the Persian version of Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire and Sleep Efficiency Index. The data were analyzed by mixed analysis of variance with Bonferroni post-hoc test and repeated measure analysis of variance. 

All stages of the research have been carried after taking supervising and approving of Kharazmi Universitychr('39')s ethics in research committee. 

The patients who received cognitive behavioral therapy compared to patients in waiting list group, obtained significantly lower scores in illness perception and sleep efficiency during post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. Efficacy of pharmacotherapy only observed during post-treatment but there were no significant differences between pharmacotherapy and waiting list patients during 3-month follow-up.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia reduced significantly illness perceptions and sleep efficiency during 3 months. All the treatment gains remain stable even 3 months later treatment ends. In addition, not receiving any treatment in waiting list and gradually discontinued the treatment in pharmacotherapy group leads to decreasing of sleep efficiency and increasing of illness perception.