Implementing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia- The Patient Perspective

Objective: Despite strong evidence for the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), patient experience of therapy implementation remains unexplored. This study sought to deliver a comprehensive account from the patient perspective and provide a unique insight into treatment adherence.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals with insomnia (n = 11, female = 8), who had completed a cognitive behavioral therapy program.

Results: Using thematic analysis, three themes emerged depicting the experience of implementing CBT-I components: ‘making sense of CBT-I’, ‘ongoing evaluation of components’ and ‘obstacles to implementation’. Each theme was associated with three subthemes that provided a more nuanced and interpretative account of how individuals implement cognitive behavioral strategies.

Conclusions: Implementing cognitive behavioral strategies is far from simple and adherence to these components is a dynamic process. Future research avenues are discussed that might further advance our understanding of adherence to this treatment.