Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Shift workers are at increased risk of insomnia. The standard treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) poses significant challenges for this demographic due to irregular work and sleep schedules. New approaches are still considered insufficient due to high attrition or insufficient effe...

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Main Authors: Tanja Grünberger, Christopher Höhn, Manuel Schabus, Belinda Angela Pletzer, Anton-Rupert Laireiter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Clocks & Sleep
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/7/2/24
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author Tanja Grünberger
Christopher Höhn
Manuel Schabus
Belinda Angela Pletzer
Anton-Rupert Laireiter
author_facet Tanja Grünberger
Christopher Höhn
Manuel Schabus
Belinda Angela Pletzer
Anton-Rupert Laireiter
author_sort Tanja Grünberger
collection DOAJ
description Shift workers are at increased risk of insomnia. The standard treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) poses significant challenges for this demographic due to irregular work and sleep schedules. New approaches are still considered insufficient due to high attrition or insufficient effectiveness. Our preliminary study identified sleep-relevant state and trait factors (see secondary outcomes) for incorporation into an innovative manual that addresses sleep in an implicit manner. The objective was to reduce the focus on insomnia and to replace regularity-based interventions. With a sample of 55 insomniacs (67.74% male, mean age 41.62 years), standard and customized treatments were compared using pre-treatment, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up measurements (RCT, self-assessment data). Our linear mixed models revealed the main significant effects of the measurement point for the primary (insomnia severity, sleep quality, sleep onset latency, total sleep time, daytime sleepiness) and the secondary outcomes (selection: anxiety/depression, dysfunctional beliefs, arousal, emotional stability, concern). No main effects of the condition or interaction effects were identified. Non-inferiority and equivalence tests demonstrated that the customized treatment is equivalent to standard therapy, which is a favorable outcome in light of the implicit approach. Consequently, this innovative approach warrants further exploration, incorporating the present results.
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spelling doaj-art-fb323d97a63b477faea80e6ef736aa9e2025-08-20T03:26:20ZengMDPI AGClocks & Sleep2624-51752025-05-01722410.3390/clockssleep7020024Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled TrialTanja Grünberger0Christopher Höhn1Manuel Schabus2Belinda Angela Pletzer3Anton-Rupert Laireiter4Department of Psychology, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Psychology, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Psychology, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Psychology, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, AustriaDepartment of Psychology, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, AustriaShift workers are at increased risk of insomnia. The standard treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) poses significant challenges for this demographic due to irregular work and sleep schedules. New approaches are still considered insufficient due to high attrition or insufficient effectiveness. Our preliminary study identified sleep-relevant state and trait factors (see secondary outcomes) for incorporation into an innovative manual that addresses sleep in an implicit manner. The objective was to reduce the focus on insomnia and to replace regularity-based interventions. With a sample of 55 insomniacs (67.74% male, mean age 41.62 years), standard and customized treatments were compared using pre-treatment, post-treatment, and three-month follow-up measurements (RCT, self-assessment data). Our linear mixed models revealed the main significant effects of the measurement point for the primary (insomnia severity, sleep quality, sleep onset latency, total sleep time, daytime sleepiness) and the secondary outcomes (selection: anxiety/depression, dysfunctional beliefs, arousal, emotional stability, concern). No main effects of the condition or interaction effects were identified. Non-inferiority and equivalence tests demonstrated that the customized treatment is equivalent to standard therapy, which is a favorable outcome in light of the implicit approach. Consequently, this innovative approach warrants further exploration, incorporating the present results.https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/7/2/24insomniashift worktailored therapyefficacy studyimplicit treatment
spellingShingle Tanja Grünberger
Christopher Höhn
Manuel Schabus
Belinda Angela Pletzer
Anton-Rupert Laireiter
Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Clocks & Sleep
insomnia
shift work
tailored therapy
efficacy study
implicit treatment
title Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_full Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_fullStr Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_short Comparison of Tailored Versus Standard Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Shift Worker Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
title_sort comparison of tailored versus standard group cognitive behavioral therapy for shift worker insomnia a randomized controlled trial
topic insomnia
shift work
tailored therapy
efficacy study
implicit treatment
url https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/7/2/24
work_keys_str_mv AT tanjagrunberger comparisonoftailoredversusstandardgroupcognitivebehavioraltherapyforshiftworkerinsomniaarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT christopherhohn comparisonoftailoredversusstandardgroupcognitivebehavioraltherapyforshiftworkerinsomniaarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT manuelschabus comparisonoftailoredversusstandardgroupcognitivebehavioraltherapyforshiftworkerinsomniaarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT belindaangelapletzer comparisonoftailoredversusstandardgroupcognitivebehavioraltherapyforshiftworkerinsomniaarandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT antonrupertlaireiter comparisonoftailoredversusstandardgroupcognitivebehavioraltherapyforshiftworkerinsomniaarandomizedcontrolledtrial