Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia on Emotional Regulation and Dysfunctional Sleep Beliefs Among Insomniac Patients

Human body needs an adequate amount of night’s sleep after a long day to regain its power. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-I) for insomnia on emotional regulation and dysfunctional sleep beliefs among insomniac patients.

This was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest, posttest, follow-up test, and a control group. The sample included 43 people referring to sleep disorders clinics in Rasool-e-Akram Hospital and two private clinics for psychiatrists with a sleep fellowship in Tehran City, Iran in 2020. Of the 43 patients suffering from insomnia, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), 36 individuals were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, of which 20 cases were selected and randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10).

The results demonstrated a significant difference between the emotional regulation and dysfunctional beliefs scores of the experimental and control groups in the posttest (P < 0.05). The results of the follow-up test indicated the sustainable effects of the therapeutic intervention on emotional regulation and dysfunctional sleep beliefs of the experimental and control groups compared to the pretest (P < 0.05).

Considering the significant effects of CBT-I on insomnia and dysfunctional sleep beliefs in the insomniac, this treatment can be used to improve their condition in sleep laboratories or other clinics.