Testing an early online intervention for the treatment of disturbed sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (Sleep COVID-19):
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LETTER
Open Access
Testing an early online intervention for the treatment of disturbed sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic (Sleep COVID-19): structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial Greg J. Elder*, Pamela Alfonso-Miller, William C. M. Atkinson, Nayantara Santhi and Jason G. Ellis
Abstract Objectives: The primary aim of the present study is to examine the efficacy of an online intervention for poor sleep in the context of an ongoing stressful major life event, by assessing if this intervention can reduce insomnia severity at short-term (one week post-intervention) and long-term (one and three months post-intervention) followup time points. It is hypothesised that the intervention will: 1) reduce insomnia severity in poor sleepers, compared to wait-list control poor sleepers, and good sleepers; 2) reduce subjective symptoms of anxiety and depression in all groups, and 3) prevent the transition to acute insomnia in good sleepers. Trial design: This study is a cluster randomised controlled trial. Participants: Both healthy good sleepers, who do not report having any current sleep problems, and individuals who report having sleep problems, will be recruited for the present study. This is a single-site study (Northumbria University). This study will be delivered using the internet and there are no geographic restrictions. Individuals who self-report as poor sleepers will meet DSM-5 criteria for acute insomnia, which is where individuals: 1) have difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, or awakening too early for at least three nights per week, for a time period of between two weeks and three months; and 2) report experiencing distress or impairment caused by sleep loss. Both 1) and 2) must have occurred despite the individual having had an adequate opportunity for sleep during this time period. Good sleepers will be individuals who do not have current sleep problems. All participants must have a sufficient level of English comprehension to understand and complete study measures. Individuals cannot participate if they report having chronic sleep problems (where they have existed for more than three months immediately prior to providing consent), nor will individuals who are actively seeking treatment for their sleep problems irrespective of how long they have had the sleep problem. Individuals also cannot participate if they have a self-reported history of head injuries, or if they have a self-reported diagnosis of schizophrenia, epilepsy or personality disorder, as the distraction techniques involved in the insomnia intervention may increase rumination in individuals with these conditions, and influence the effectiveness of the intervention. (Continued on next page)
* Correspondence: [email protected] Northumbria Sleep Research, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK © The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any
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