ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to determine through a systematic review the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy for persistent primary insomnia. Methods : A search of six research databases (CINAHL, EBSCOhost, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Ovid, and PsycINFO) yielded eleven studies that met selection criteria. Articles were reviewed by two reviewers assessed the quality of the articles using PEDro scale. The average PEDro score of eleven studies was 6.3 points. Results : Stimulus control and sleep restriction were included in all studies. Among beneficial outcomes, improvement of total wake time, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and slow-wave sleep time were the most frequently reported. Cognitive behavioral therapy is effective for treating insomnia when compared with medications. Conclusion : Cognitive behavior therapy was more effective than the other psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy approaches relieving chronic primary insomnia in the studies. This evidence can be used to relive the primary insomnia in a clinical setting.