Abstract
Insomnia is highly co-morbid with psychiatric disorders, making it a frequent issue in treatment planning in psychiatric clinics. Research has also shown that although insomnia may ...originally precede or be a consequence of a psychiatric disorder, insomnia likely becomes semi-independent, and may exacerbate those disorders if it is not addressed, leading to reduced treatment response. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is now recommended as the first line of treatment of primary insomnia. The research reviewed below indicates that CBT-I in patients with co-morbid depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse disorders is generally effective for insomnia and sometimes the co-morbid disorder as well. Although more research is needed before definitive recommendations can be made, it appears as though CBT-I is a viable approach to treating the patient with co-morbid insomnia and psychiatric disorders.
Cognitive processing therapy (CPT), an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has not been tested as an individual treatment among active-duty military. Group CPT may be ...an efficient way to deliver treatment.
To determine the effects of CPT on PTSD and co-occurring symptoms and whether they differ when administered in an individual or a group format.
In this randomized clinical trial, 268 active-duty servicemembers consented to assessment at an army medical center from March 8, 2012, to September 23, 2014, and were randomized to group or individual CPT. Inclusion criteria were PTSD after military deployment and stable medication therapy. Exclusion criteria consisted of suicidal or homicidal intent or psychosis. Data collection was completed on June 15, 2015. Analysis was based on intention to treat.
Participants received CPT (the version excluding written accounts) in 90-minute group sessions of 8 to 10 participants (15 cohorts total; 133 participants) or 60-minute individual sessions (135 participants) twice weekly for 6 weeks. The 12 group and individual sessions were conducted concurrently.
Primary measures were scores on the Posttraumatic Symptom Scale-Interview Version (PSS-I) and the stressor-specific Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-S); secondary measures were scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSSI). Assessments were completed by independent evaluators masked to treatment condition at baseline and 2 weeks and 6 months after treatment.
Among the 268 participants (244 men 91.0%; 24 women 9.0%; mean SD age, 33.2 7.4 years), improvement in PTSD severity at posttreatment was greater when CPT was administered individually compared with the group format (mean SE difference on the PSS-I, -3.7 1.4; Cohen d = 0.6; P = .006). Significant improvements were maintained with the individual (mean SE PSS-I, -7.8 1.0; Cohen d = 1.3; mean SE PCL-S, -12.6 1.4; Cohen d = 1.2) and group (mean SE PSS-I, -4.0 0.97; Cohen d = 0.7; mean SE PCL-S, -6.3 1.4; Cohen d = 0.6) formats, with no differences in remission or severity of PTSD at the 6-month follow-up. Symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation did not differ significantly between formats.
Individual treatment resulted in greater improvement in PTSD severity than group treatment. Depression and suicidal ideation improved equally with both formats. However, even among those receiving individual CPT, approximately 50% still had PTSD and clinically significant symptoms. In the military population, improving existing treatments such as CPT or developing new treatments is needed.
clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02173561.
Abstract
Study Objectives
To examine sleep disorder symptom reports at baseline and posttreatment in a sample of active duty U.S. Army Soldiers receiving treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder ...(PTSD). Explore sleep-related predictors of outcomes.
Methods
Sleep was evaluated in 128 participants in a parent randomized clinical trial comparing Spaced formats of Prolonged Exposure (PE) or Present Centered Therapy and a Massed format of PE. In the current study, Spaced formats were combined and evaluated separately from Massed.
Results
At baseline, the average sleep duration was < 5 h per night on weekdays/workdays and < 6 h per night on weekends/off days. The majority of participants reported clinically significant insomnia, clinically significant nightmares, and probable sleep apnea and approximately half reported excessive daytime sleepiness at baseline. Insomnia and nightmares improved significantly from baseline to posttreatment in all groups, but many patients reported clinically significant insomnia (>70%) and nightmares (>38%) posttreatment. Excessive daytime sleepiness significantly improved only in the Massed group, but 40% continued to report clinically significant levels at posttreatment. Short sleep (Spaced only), clinically significant insomnia and nightmares, excessive daytime sleepiness, and probable sleep apnea (Massed only) at baseline predicted higher PTSD symptoms across treatment course. Short weekends/off days sleep predicted lower PTSD symptom improvement in the Spaced treatments.
Conclusions
Various sleep disorder symptoms were high at baseline, were largely unchanged with PTSD treatment, and were related to worse PTSD treatment outcomes. Studies are needed with objective sleep assessments and targeted sleep disorders treatments in PTSD patients.
Clinical Trial Registration
NCT01049516.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based therapy recommended for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, rates of improvement and remission are lower in veterans and active duty ...military compared to civilians. Although CPT was developed as a 12-session therapy, varying the number of sessions based on patient response has improved outcomes in a civilian study. This paper describes outcomes of a clinical trial of variable-length CPT among an active duty sample. Aims were to determine if service members would benefit from varying the dose of treatment and identify predictors of treatment length needed to reach good end-state (PTSD Checklist-5 ≤ 19). This was a within-subjects trial in which all participants received CPT (N = 127). Predictor variables included demographic, symptom, and trauma-related variables; internalizing/externalizing personality traits; and readiness for change. Varying treatment length resulted in more patients achieving good end-state. Best predictors of nonresponse or needing longer treatment were pretreatment depression and PTSD severity, internalizing temperament, being in precontemplation stage of readiness for change, and African American race. Controlling for differences in demographics and initial PTSD symptom severity, the outcomes using a variable-length CPT protocol were superior to the outcomes of a prior study using a fixed, 12-session CPT protocol.
NCT023818.
•Varying the length of CPT resulted in some active duty members stopping treatment early or improving with more sessions.•Thirteen percent achieved good end-state in less than 12 sessions, 9% in exactly 12 sessions, and 12% with more sessions.•Pretreatment depression, internalizing temperament, and PTSD severity predicted nonresponse or needing longer treatment.•Other predictors were being in the precontemplation stage of readiness to change or African American race.•Compared to a prior 12-session study, variable-length CPT resulted in more patients achieving reliable clinical change.
A wake-up call for “nightmares” Mysliwiec, Vincent; Brock, Matthew S; Pruiksma, Kristi E
Sleep (New York, N.Y.),
04/2023, Letnik:
46, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Compare in-person and unguided Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTi) with a minimal contact control condition in military personnel.
A three-arm parallel randomized ...clinical trial of 100 active duty US Army personnel at Fort Hood, Texas. Internet and in-person CBTi were comparable, except for the delivery format. The control condition consisted of phone call assessments.
Internet and in-person CBTi performed significantly better than the control condition on diary-assessed sleep efficiency (d = 0.89 and 0.53, respectively), sleep onset latency (d = -0.68 and -0.53), number of awakenings (d = -0.42 and -0.54), wake time after sleep onset (d = -0.88 and -0.50), the Insomnia Severity Index (d = -0.98 and -0.51), and the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep Scale (d = -1.12 and -0.54). In-person treatment was better than Internet treatment on self-reported sleep quality (d = 0.80) and dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep (d = -0.58). There were no differences on self-reported daytime sleepiness or actigraphy-assessed sleep parameters (except total sleep time; d = -0.55 to -0.60). There were technical difficulties with the Internet treatment which prevented tailored sleep restriction upward titration for some participants.
Despite the unique, sleep-disrupting occupational demands of military personnel, in-person and Internet CBTi are efficacious treatments for this population. The effect sizes for in-person were consistently better than Internet and both were similar to those found in civilians. Dissemination of CBTi should be considered for maximum individual and population benefits, possibly in a stepped-care model.
Abstract
Study Objectives:
To determine the prevalence, correlates, and predictors of insomnia in US Army personnel prior to deployment.
Methods:
Cross-sectional cohort design assessing insomnia and ...other psychosocial variables in active duty service members (n = 4,101), at Fort Hood, Texas, prior to military deployment. Insomnia was defined as an Insomnia Severity Index ≥ 15.
Results:
The prevalence of insomnia was 19.9%. Enlisted personnel were five times more likely to report insomnia than officers (odds ratio OR = 5.17). Insomnia was higher among American Indian/Alaskan Natives than other groups (ORs = 1.86–2.85). Those in the Insomnia Group were older, had longer military careers, and reported more marriages, children, and military deployments (ds = 0.13–0.34) than the No Insomnia group. The Insomnia Group reported more severe mental health symptoms, more recent stressful life events, greater childhood abuse, and lower levels of trait resilience, social support, and unit cohesion (Cohen ds = 0.27–1.29). After controlling for covariates, the Insomnia Group was more likely to have a history of head injuries and clinically significant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, alcohol use problems, back pain, extremity pain, headaches, and fatigue (ORs = 1.40–3.30). A simultaneous logistic regression found that greater PTSD, depression, fatigue, stressful life events, headaches, anxiety, alcohol use problems, extremity pain, history of head injury, childhood physical neglect, back pain, number of times married, and lower leader support/unit cohesion and tangible social support were statistically significant predictors of insomnia status.
Conclusions:
Insomnia occurs in about one of five service members prior to a military deployment and is associated with a wide array of psychosocial stressors and mental and physical health problems.
Objective: Sleep disturbances, including nightmares and insomnia, are frequently reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms to persist ...after evidence-based PTSD treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of sleep disturbances in a sample of active duty military personnel before and after receiving therapy for PTSD in a clinical trial and to explore the associations of insomnia and nightmares with PTSD diagnosis after treatment. Method: Sleep parameters were evaluated with the PTSD Checklist in 108 active duty U.S. Army soldiers who had completed at least one deployment in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and who participated in a randomized clinical trial comparing Group Cognitive Processing Therapy-Cognitive Only Version with Group Present-Centered Therapy. Results: Insomnia was the most frequently reported symptom before and after treatment, with 92% reporting insomnia at baseline and 74%-80% reporting insomnia at follow-up. Nightmares were reported by 69% at baseline and by 49%-55% at follow-up. Among participants who no longer met criteria for PTSD following treatment, 57% continued to report insomnia, but only 13% continued to report nightmares. At baseline, 54% were taking sleep medications, but sleep medication use did not affect the overall results. Conclusions: Insomnia was found to be one of the most prevalent and persistent problems among service members receiving PTSD treatment. Nightmares were relatively more positively responsive to treatment. For some service members with PTSD, the addition of specific treatments targeting insomnia and/or nightmares may be indicated.
Introduction
Physical exercise is a lifestyle intervention that can positively impact aspects of physical and psychological health. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that physical ...exercise, sleep, and PTSD are interrelated. This study investigated possible relationships. Three research questions were posed: (1) Did randomization to an aerobic exercise intervention reduce insomnia more than being randomized to an intervention without exercise, (2) Did change in sleep predict change in PTSD symptoms, and (3) Did change in sleep impact the relationship between exercise and PTSD symptom reductions?
Methods
Data were collected from 69 treatment-seeking active duty service members with PTSD symptoms randomized into one of four conditions; two conditions included aerobic exercise, and two conditions did not include exercise. Participants in the exercise groups exercised five times per week keeping their heart rate > 60% of their heart rate reserve for 20–25 min.
Results
At baseline, 58% of participants reported moderate or severe insomnia. PTSD symptom severity decreased following treatment for all groups (
p
< 0.001). Participants randomized to exercise reported greater reductions in insomnia compared to those in the no exercise group (
p
= 0.47). However, change in insomnia did not predict change in PTSD symptoms nor did it significantly impact the relationship between exercise and PTSD symptom reductions.
Discussion
Adding exercise to evidence-based treatments for PTSD could reduce sleep disturbance, a characteristic of PTSD not directly addressed with behavioral therapies. A better understanding of exercise as a lifestyle intervention that can reduce PTSD symptoms and insomnia is warranted.
Insomnia and nightmares are common in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are associated with worse psychological and physical health and worse PTSD treatment outcomes. In ...addition, they are resistant to PTSD treatments, which do not typically address sleep disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and nightmares (CBT‐I&N) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for PTSD are first‐line treatments, but limited evidence exists guiding the treatment of individuals with all three disorders. The current study randomized U.S. military personnel (N = 93) to one of three conditions: CBT‐I&N delivered before CPT, CBT‐I&N delivered after CPT, or CPT alone; all groups received 18 sessions. Across groups, participants demonstrated significantly improved PTSD symptoms. Because the study was terminated prematurely due to challenges with recruitment and retention, it was underpowered to answer the initially intended research questions. Nonetheless, statistical findings and relevant clinically meaningful changes were observed. Compared to participants who received CPT alone, those who received CBT‐I&N and CPT, regardless of sequencing, demonstrated larger improvements in PTSD symptoms, d = −0.36; insomnia, d = −0.77; sleep efficiency, d = 0.62; and nightmares, d = −.53. Compared to participants who received CBT‐I&N delivered before CPT, those who received CBT‐I&N delivered after CPT demonstrated larger improvements in PTSD symptoms, d = 0.48, and sleep efficiency, d = −0.44. This pilot study suggests that treating comorbid insomnia, nightmares, and PTSD symptoms results in clinically meaningful advantages in improvement for all three concerns compared to treating PTSD alone.
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