Rest to Overcome Loss and Reduce Risk (RESTore Plus)

January 20, 2026 updated by: Diana Chirinos-Downie, Northwestern University

Developing a Targeted Intervention for Sleep Disturbance in Spousal Bereavement

The purpose of this study is to develop and optimize a targeted behavioral intervention for sleep disturbance among individuals who have recently lost a spouse/long-term cohabitating partner. In the first phase of this study, patient focus groups were conducted to gather information about the unique sleep challenges experienced by spousally bereaved individuals and the kinds of support they would like to receive from a program based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). In the second phase of the study, a two-arm randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare changes in sleep and inflammation among participants in the targeted CBT-I intervention to those in an information-only control. Participants will be asked to attend two in-person visits (at baseline and, approx. 8 weeks later, at post-treatment) to provide a blood sample and have vital signs and basic anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference) taken. After their baseline visit, participants will be randomized into either the targeted CBT-I intervention or the information-only control. The targeted CBT-I intervention will entail 6 online sessions (approx. 50 mins. each) delivered via videoconference by a trained facilitator, once per week over the course of approx. 6 weeks. The information-only control will entail 1 online session (approx. 50 mins.) delivered via videoconference by a trained facilitator. Sleep data (collected via both actigraphy watches and patient self-report sleep diaries) and data on mood, grief, and sleep habits will be collected from participants at three timepoints (baseline, post-treatment, and then again at a 6-month follow-up).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
40

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18 years or older
  • Has experienced the loss of a spouse/long-term cohabitating partner (i.e., partner who lived with participant for at least 1 year before passing) within the past 3 months
  • Scores 5 or above on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI; administered by research staff during phone screening call)
  • Must have access to an internet-enabled device (e.g., smartphone, computer, tablet) to take part in the online intervention

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Under age 18
  • Non-English speakers
  • Those with a previously diagnosed sleep disorder (e.g., restless leg syndrome; note: individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) will be eligible as long as they use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at least 5 days a week for at least 5 hours per day)
  • Those who have been taking prescribed sleep medication(s) for 6 months or more
  • Those with autoimmune or inflammatory diseases (such as: acute or chronic immune system medical conditions, medications or other conditions that impact immune function (e.g., chronic fatigue syndrome [CFS], lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], Hepatitis C, or any other immunosuppressive treatment requiring conditions, per investigator discretion).
  • Those who regularly use illegal substances.
  • Those who are on medications with major immunological consequences (e.g. steroids)
  • Women who are pregnant or nursing
  • Those who have been vaccinated in the past two weeks (note: these individuals may simply delay enrollment by two weeks if otherwise eligible)
  • Those with significant visual or auditory impairment, medical or psychiatric condition that is unstable, requires immediate treatment or is judged to interfere with study protocol (e.g., substance abuse, psychotic disorder, cognitive disorder, current suicidal ideation)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Targeted Intervention for Sleep and Bereavement (Targeted CBT-I)
This intervention consists of 6, 50-60-minute online individual sessions delivered via video conference. Content will include a CBT-I based program adapted to the specific needs of spousally bereaved individuals.
Behavioral: Targeted Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia
This intervention consists of six, 50-min. online individual sessions delivered via video conference. Content was developed by tailoring standard cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to the specific needs of people who recently lost spouses/long-term partners, by using qualitative data gathered in focus groups. The intervention incorporates key concepts of CBT-I (sleep restriction; stimulus control) and positive emotion psychology (everyday mindfulness; gratitude and self-compassion). Individualized sleep plans (including weekly sleep windows) will be created for intervention participants, and each weekly session will involve a discussion about participants' progress in improving sleep disturbance. Support and recommended coping skills for loss and bereavement will also be provided.
Placebo Comparator: Information-Only Control
The information-only control consists of 1, 50-60-minute online individual session delivered via video conference. Content will provide basic psychoeducation about sleep and aging.
Other: Information-Only Control
The control session (approx. 50-min. in length) will be delivered online in a one-to-one format (participant and facilitator) via videoconference. Educational brochures based on recommendations provided by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine focused on sleep and health and sleep hygiene education will be used. No specific or individualized recommendations will be given to control participants.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Feasibility of recruitment
Time Frame: Approximately 18 months
Feasibility of recruitment will be demonstrated by an enrollment benchmark of 2 participants per month.
Approximately 18 months
Feasibility of recruitment
Time Frame: Approx. 18 months
Feasibility of recruitment will also be measured by the proportion of eligible participants who are enrolled (consented) and randomized.
Approx. 18 months
Adherence to the intervention
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
Adherence to the intervention will be measured by the number of sessions attended by participants.
Approx. 6 months
Treatment-specific retention rates
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
Treatment-specific retention will be measured by the percentage of participants who complete the post-treatment assessment in each arm.
Approx. 6 months
Acceptability
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
The acceptability of the intervention will be demonstrated by ≥ 85% completion of the study protocol across the sample.
Approx. 6 months
Attrition
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
Attrition will be measured at each follow-up visit (post intervention and 6-month follow-up) and will be defined by the percentage of randomized participants who did not attend the follow-up visit. Causes of attrition will be measured by analyzing reasons for participant drop-out as documented over the course of the study.
Approx. 6 months
Treatment-specific acceptability
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
Treatment-specific acceptability will be measured by preference ratings gathered during the post-treatment debriefing session for each arm.
Approx. 6 months
Preliminary change in sleep disturbance
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
Using the previously validated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), change in sleep disturbance will be assessed from baseline to 1. post-intervention (6-8 weeks later), and a 2. six-month follow-up. Global scores on the PSQI range from 0 to 21, with a higher score indicating more severe sleep disturbance.
Approx. 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Preliminary change in inflammation
Time Frame: Approx. 8 weeks
Changes in inflammation will be measured via inflammatory marker values in participant blood samples (interleukin 6 [IL-6], interleukin 8 [IL-8], interleukin 10 [IL-10], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) and will be assessed from baseline to post-intervention (6-8 weeks later).
Approx. 8 weeks
Preliminary change in quality of life
Time Frame: Approx. 6 months
Using the previously validated Research and Development (RAND) Corporation 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), change in self-reported quality of life (General Health Subscale) will be assessed from baseline to 1. post-intervention (6-8 weeks later), and a 2. six-month follow-up. The General Health Subscale of the SF-36 ranges from 0 to 100 with higher scores indicating more favorable quality of life.
Approx. 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Northwestern University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 31, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 21, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 27, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 7, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 20, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SP0058437
  • STU00212514 (Other Identifier: Northwestern University Institutional Review Board)
  • 5K01HL149987-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data that underlie the primary results of the trial after deidentification will be shared.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

Beginning 9 months and ending 36 months following publication of the primary results.

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

Data will be available for individual participant data meta-analysis. Proposals may be submitted up to 36 months following publication of the primary results and should be directed to diana.chirinos@northwestern.edu.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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