Sleep disruption has long been linked to mental health issues, and a recent study has shed light on its potential impact on young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis. The results were published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
The study by researchers from National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England, aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a randomized controlled trial targeting sleep problems to mitigate psychotic experiences in this vulnerable population.
The research, which spanned from November 2020 to January 2022, screened 67 young individuals, of whom 40 (60%) at ultra-high risk of psychosis were enrolled. The participants, aged between 14 and 25, were already patients of mental health services and displayed sleep problems, a common issue associated with mental health disturbances.
The trial employed a single-blind, parallel-group design where participants were randomly assigned to either receive the targeted psychological sleep therapy (SleepWell) in addition to usual care, or just usual care. SleepWell therapy involved approximately eight hour-long sessions delivered over a 12-week period. The efficacy of this approach was measured at 3 and 9 months, showing a reduction in insomnia severity in the SleepWell group compared to the usual care group.
Crucially, the study demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial in this delicate population. The participants' retention rate was notably high, with 98% completing the primary outcome assessment at both 3 and 9 months. Furthermore, 95% of those assigned to the SleepWell therapy adhered to the recommended treatment schedule.
The study's results bring hope to the field of early intervention for mental health issues, offering a possible avenue for preventing the progression of psychosis in vulnerable youth. As a next step, researchers are calling for a definitive multicenter trial to establish the broader effectiveness and benefits of the SleepWell therapy.
Source:
Waite, F., Černis, E., Kabir, T., Iredale, E., Johns, L., Maughan, D., Diamond, R., Seddon, R., Williams, N., Yu, L.-M., & Freeman, D. (2023). A targeted psychological treatment for sleep problems in young people at ultra-high risk of psychosis in England (SleepWell): a parallel group, single-blind, randomised controlled feasibility trial. In The Lancet Psychiatry (Vol. 10, Issue 9, pp. 706–718). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00203-1