Method of Treatment Allocation: Does It Affect Adherence to Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia?

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Psychology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Treatment adherence is crucial for the efficacy of behavioral therapies.
• Patient preference for treatment may influence adherence levels.
• Understanding allocation methods' impact on adherence is vital for optimizing therapeutic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if the method of treatment allocation (random vs. preference-based) affects adherence to behavioral therapy for insomnia.
• To compare exposure (session attendance) and enactment (self-reported application) of treatment recommendations between allocation groups.

Main Methods:

• 262 participants received insomnia behavioral therapy via random or preference-based allocation.
• Exposure was measured by attendance at treatment sessions.
• Enactment was assessed through self-reported application of treatment recommendations.

Main Results:

• Participants attended an average of 5.6 treatment sessions.
• High levels of self-reported compliance and frequent application of recommendations were observed.
• No significant differences in treatment exposure or enactment were found between the random and preference groups.

Conclusions:

• The method of allocation to behavioral therapy for insomnia does not appear to influence patient adherence.
• Factors such as randomization to preferred treatments, dissatisfaction, and self-report bias warrant further investigation.
• Findings suggest adherence is robust across different allocation strategies in this context.