The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on insomnia in patients with schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Insomnia is a common feature of schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia also encounter the problem of insomnia, which impairs their cognitive functioning, quality of life, mental well-being, and functional recovery. Studies support pharmacological treatment of insomnia with certain drugs; however, these hypnotic medications also have adverse effects. There are no grounded recommendations about insomnia treatment in this clinical setting and research in nonpharmacological areas is sparse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to see the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in schizophrenia patients in an Indian population. Aims: To evaluate the effects of CBT-I in schizophrenia patients. Materials and Methods: It is a randomized controlled study. Forty schizophrenic patients were recruited and were randomly allocated into two groups. The CBT-I group (n = 20) received four sessions of CBT-I in addition to treatment as usual, whereas the control group (n = 20) received. no additional intervention. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Results: Both the groups showed significant time-group interactions on the ISI and PSQI. Post hoc testing showed that, compared to the control group, the CBT-I group showed significant reductions in ISI at both week 4 and week 8. Conclusion: CBT-I was effective for reducing insomnia symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and the effect lasted for 4 weeks after the intervention.