Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Veterans Experiencing Insomnia: A Systematic Review

In this systematic literature review, research regarding veterans experiencing insomnia and the utilization of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia as an effective treatment modality were synthesized. Using the sociology research database SocINDEX; nine studies examining the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as a treatment option for insomnia and insomnia related symptoms met criteria for the review. The Behavioral Model of Insomnia was used as the conceptual framework for this review. This framework was utilized to explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an effective means of treating veterans experiencing insomnia. Studies included in this systematic review produced these findings: improvements in sleep quality, sleep efficiency, sleep onset latency, total sleep time, a reduction in depressive and insomnia symptoms, increased normalization of sleep, and a reduction in dysfunctional beliefs about sleep. This study contributes to the growing body of literature supporting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia as an evidenced based treatment option for veterans experiencing insomnia through a dissemination of the findings, strengths, limitations, and implications for future research