A transdiagnostic sleep intervention for outpatients with sleep problems and comorbid mental health disorders, data from a Danish quality assurance project.

Background: Insomnia is common in psychiatric populations. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. However, patients with mental disorders often experience a variety of sleep problems, including delayed sleep phase beyond insomnia. To address this, a Danish sleep and circadian intervention with six individual sessions combining CBT-I with chronotherapeutic methods was initiated in 2019.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of the transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention on sleep quality and insomnia severity and to identify diagnostic characteristics of patients who responded well compared to those with less favorable outcomes.

Method: Data on patients' subjective sleep quality and perceived insomnia severity, assessed before and after the intervention, were extracted from clinical notes. Additionally, demographic data and diagnostic information were collected.

Results: A total of 248 patients completed the transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention. We found a statistically significant reduction in insomnia severity, particularly in those diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and unipolar depression. We also saw a statistically significant improvement in sleep quality and the largest change over time was found in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Conclusion: This quality assurance study showed that a transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention - comprising six individual sessions delivered by an interdisciplinary team following a short sleep course and peer-to-peer training - can effectively improve sleep in patients with long-lasting sleep problems.