College
College of Arts and Sciences
Mentor Information
Dr. Hector Gomez
Description
Insomnia is a prevalent health issue impacting many adults alongside other mental disorders. One common treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) which is now increasingly delivered through smartphone apps. With an upward trend in adults, these applications offer a potential accessible and scalable solution. This study evaluated the efficacy of internationally available mental health apps utilizing CBT principles for adults diagnosed with insomnia under the DSM-5 which were compared to the control group with no psychotherapy app exposure.
A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Eligible studies were published within the last 5 years, focusing on: diagnosed insomnia, primary research, no intervention in the control, and human subjects. A total of 120 articles were screened at the abstract level, 29 full-text articles met inclusion criteria. The extracted data included study design, sample size, participant characteristics, type of CBT-based app intervention, control condition, symptom measurement tools, follow-up duration, and reported statistical outcomes. The review focused on randomized controlled trials and pilot feasibility studies.
Across studies, CBT-I applications were associated with greater improvements in insomnia severity, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and reduced sleep onset latency compared to control groups. Several studies also reported potential secondary benefits, including improvements in mood and sleep-related cognitions. However, variability in diagnostic criteria, outcome measures, intervention duration, and control conditions limited direct comparability of findings.
Overall, findings support CBT-based applications as an effective and accessible treatment option for insomnia. Future research should prioritize standardization while examining long-term outcomes and comorbid conditions.
CBT-Based Psychotherapy Apps vs. No Intervention for Insomnia: A Systematic Review of Symptom Differences in DSM-5 Adults
Insomnia is a prevalent health issue impacting many adults alongside other mental disorders. One common treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) which is now increasingly delivered through smartphone apps. With an upward trend in adults, these applications offer a potential accessible and scalable solution. This study evaluated the efficacy of internationally available mental health apps utilizing CBT principles for adults diagnosed with insomnia under the DSM-5 which were compared to the control group with no psychotherapy app exposure.
A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Eligible studies were published within the last 5 years, focusing on: diagnosed insomnia, primary research, no intervention in the control, and human subjects. A total of 120 articles were screened at the abstract level, 29 full-text articles met inclusion criteria. The extracted data included study design, sample size, participant characteristics, type of CBT-based app intervention, control condition, symptom measurement tools, follow-up duration, and reported statistical outcomes. The review focused on randomized controlled trials and pilot feasibility studies.
Across studies, CBT-I applications were associated with greater improvements in insomnia severity, sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and reduced sleep onset latency compared to control groups. Several studies also reported potential secondary benefits, including improvements in mood and sleep-related cognitions. However, variability in diagnostic criteria, outcome measures, intervention duration, and control conditions limited direct comparability of findings.
Overall, findings support CBT-based applications as an effective and accessible treatment option for insomnia. Future research should prioritize standardization while examining long-term outcomes and comorbid conditions.
