Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Conditions: A Systematic Review

Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) in Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Conditions: A Systematic Review

Authors
Cullen, M. McCrory, S. Hooman, G. Coyle, M. Fleming, L.
Year
2025
Journal
Journal of Sleep Research
Volume
Pages
21
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia disorder in diverse populations with co-occurring conditions. However, individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions are frequently excluded from CBT-I research, despite the high prevalence of sleep problems in this population. The present systematic review and narrative synthesis investigates the effectiveness of CBT-I in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. A literature search was completed in February 2024 across five databases. Of 1988 unique entries, 8 studies from 5 countries met all inclusion criteria, amounting to a combined sample size of 598 participants (male = 75.92%, age range = 4-68). Five interventions were delivered to children and adolescents (M = 8.7 years +/- 1.46), whilst 3 were delivered to adults (M = 35.78 years +/- 5.71). All interventions included at least 2 CBT-I components but were diverse in content and format. Two randomised controlled trials and six before-after studies suggested significant short-term effectiveness of CBT-I in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and/or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Improvements in the severity of condition-specific characteristics were observed in some studies. Still, findings were inconsistent and mostly not maintained at follow-up. The quality of included articles was moderate due to small sample sizes, lack of blinding and deviations from the intended intervention. This variability may be explained by a lack of guidance on conducting CBT-I in this population. Hence, there is a need for further rigorous research and updated reviews to inform the implementation of CBT-I protocols for those with insomnia and neurodevelopmental conditions.

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Type of intervention

Treatment and Child Welfare Interventions

Topic

Mental Health Problems and Disorders

Emotional Problems

Depression and Depressed Mood

Anxiety Problems

Anxiety and Anxiousness

Phobias

Stress

Trauma/ Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

ADHD

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Other Problems

Sleep Disorders

Comorbidity

Drugs and Gambling

Alcohol

Illegal Drugs

Biological Risk Factors, Diseases and Symptoms

Mental/Physical Impairment

Intervention

Psychological Treatments

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Therapy

Mindfulness

The organization of interventions

E-health interventions

Age group

Preschool Aged Children (3-5 years)

School Aged Children (6-12 years)

Adolescents (13-18 years)

More information
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