EFFECTIVENESS OF COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AMONG INSOMNIA PATIENTS: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is widely recognized as the first-line, non-pharmacologic treatment for insomnia. It encompasses a range of therapeutic strategies including sleep restriction, stimulus control, relaxation techniques, and sleep hygiene education. Insomnia is typically characterized by difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, or early morning awakenings. CBT-I addresses these symptoms by targeting maladaptive sleep behaviors, negative thought patterns, and stress-related responses that perpetuate insomnia.

Methodology: A quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT-I on sleep quality. The study was conducted in Sanghar, Sindh, Pakistan, and included a diverse group of 50 participants from various occupational backgrounds, including students, housewives, drivers, and others. Participants underwent CBT-I intervention, and changes in sleep patterns were measured before and after the intervention using structured assessments. No control group was included.

Results: Pre-intervention data showed that 60% of participants exhibited ineffective sleep patterns, while only 40% reported effective sleep. Post-intervention, 90% of participants reported effective sleep patterns, with only 10% remaining ineffective. McNemar’s test revealed a statistically significant change in sleep pattern (p = 0.0001), indicating a strong effect of CBT-I. Furthermore, the majority of participants were students (38%) and females (58%), with most aged between 18–25 years. The intervention demonstrated significant improvement regardless of gender, age, occupation, or education level.

Conclusion: CBT-I was found to be highly effective in improving sleep quality among individuals with insomnia. The statistically significant results suggest that CBT-I can be a powerful non-pharmacological option for treating insomnia across diverse populations. However, limitations such as a small sample size, short duration, lack of a control group, and limited economic evaluation suggest the need for further large-scale, controlled studies.