A randomized controlled intervention of workplace-based group cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Sleep Medicine
• Psychological Interventions

Background:

• Sleep disturbances are prevalent in the working population, linked to work stress, health issues, and decreased productivity.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is an established treatment for sleep problems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a workplace-based group CBT-I intervention for employee sleep disturbances.
• To examine the moderating effect of baseline burnout scores on intervention effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with a waiting list control group.
• Participants included employees with self-reported sleep problems, assessed via diaries, actigraphy, and questionnaires (ISI, SMBQ).
• Data collected at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• No overall significant group differences in sleep outcomes were found.
• A significant reduction in insomnia symptoms was observed when excluding shift workers (p=0.044).
• Baseline burnout scores moderated insomnia symptom reduction (p=0.009); individuals with low burnout showed significant ISI score reduction post-intervention (p=0.005).

Conclusions:

• Workplace group CBT-I did not improve sleep for the entire study group.
• The intervention showed promise for employees with regular daytime work and those with primary insomnia and low burnout scores.