TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia on sleep and alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers
T2 - A randomized pilot study
AU - Verlinden, Justin J.
AU - Moloney, Mairead E.
AU - Vsevolozhskaya, Olga A.
AU - Ritterband, Lee M.
AU - Winkel, Fiona
AU - Weafer, Jessica
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Research Society on Alcohol.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Background: Insomnia is a well-established, prospective risk factor for Alcohol Use Disorder. Thus, targeting sleep problems could serve as a novel and efficacious means of reducing problematic drinking. Here, we examined the potential utility of a well-validated, interactive, easy to use, self-paced digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program. In a randomized, single-blind pilot study, we examined the impact of treatment with Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) on drinking and sleep outcomes in a sample of heavy drinkers with insomnia. Methods: Heavy drinking men (n = 28) and women (n = 42) with insomnia were randomly assigned to complete either the SHUTi program or a control patient education program. Subjective measures of sleep and alcohol use were administered at baseline, immediately following completion of the intervention, 3 months post-intervention, and 6 months post-intervention. Sleep outcomes were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Drinking outcomes were assessed using the 30-Day Timeline Follow-Back calendar. We used linear mixed effects models to compare groups on both insomnia and drinking outcomes. Results: Data from all 70 subjects (SHUTI: n = 40; control: n = 30) were analyzed. Linear mixed effects models showed that SHUTi significantly reduced insomnia symptoms (p = 0.01) and drinking outcomes (ps < 0.05) more than the control condition over time. Trend-level effects on sleep quality (p = 0.06) were also observed. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Improving sleep may be an effective treatment intervention for reducing hazardous drinking in at-risk individuals. Further, findings provide preliminary support for the implementation of an easily accessible health behavior intervention with significant public health impact in a high-risk population.
AB - Background: Insomnia is a well-established, prospective risk factor for Alcohol Use Disorder. Thus, targeting sleep problems could serve as a novel and efficacious means of reducing problematic drinking. Here, we examined the potential utility of a well-validated, interactive, easy to use, self-paced digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia program. In a randomized, single-blind pilot study, we examined the impact of treatment with Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) on drinking and sleep outcomes in a sample of heavy drinkers with insomnia. Methods: Heavy drinking men (n = 28) and women (n = 42) with insomnia were randomly assigned to complete either the SHUTi program or a control patient education program. Subjective measures of sleep and alcohol use were administered at baseline, immediately following completion of the intervention, 3 months post-intervention, and 6 months post-intervention. Sleep outcomes were assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Drinking outcomes were assessed using the 30-Day Timeline Follow-Back calendar. We used linear mixed effects models to compare groups on both insomnia and drinking outcomes. Results: Data from all 70 subjects (SHUTI: n = 40; control: n = 30) were analyzed. Linear mixed effects models showed that SHUTi significantly reduced insomnia symptoms (p = 0.01) and drinking outcomes (ps < 0.05) more than the control condition over time. Trend-level effects on sleep quality (p = 0.06) were also observed. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Improving sleep may be an effective treatment intervention for reducing hazardous drinking in at-risk individuals. Further, findings provide preliminary support for the implementation of an easily accessible health behavior intervention with significant public health impact in a high-risk population.
KW - AUD
KW - SHUTi
KW - online
KW - treatment
KW - web
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179931536&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85179931536&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/acer.15209
DO - 10.1111/acer.15209
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85179931536
SN - 0145-6008
VL - 47
SP - 2354
EP - 2365
JO - Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research
JF - Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research
IS - 12
ER -