Treatments in Women Veterans With Insomnia and PTSD

April 20, 2026 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

Increasing PTSD Treatment Engagement in Women Veterans: Role of CBT for Insomnia (CDA 20-227)

This pilot trial will compare trauma-informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to a psychoeducational intervention in women Veterans with comorbid insomnia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The CBT-I intervention includes trauma-informed adaptations to an insomnia treatment and the psychoeducational intervention is modeled after usual care in a VA Women's Mental Health Clinic.

The study objectives are to: 1) Iteratively refine the structure and materials of trauma-informed CBT-I in preparation for a pilot trial, 2) Pilot test the effects of trauma-informed CBT-I on PTSD treatment readiness and engagement in a sample of women Veterans, and 3) Examine potential mechanisms underlying variations in PTSD treatment readiness and engagement over time among women Veterans.

Women Veterans with insomnia and comorbid PTSD who receive care at Sepulveda and West Los Angeles facilities will be recruited for the study. Those who pass an initial eligibility screen will be enrolled and written informed consent will be obtained. A baseline assessment will be completed that includes measures of PTSD treatment readiness, perceived barriers to PTSD treatment, and sleep and mental health symptoms. Then Veterans who meet all eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to trauma-informed CBT-I (n=25) or the psychoeducational intervention (n=25). Both treatments will be provided in 5 one-on-one sessions by a trained instructor who is supervised by a behavioral sleep medicine specialist. All randomized participants (n=50) will have 2 follow-up assessments (post-treatment and 3-months). The follow-up assessments will collect information on PTSD treatment readiness, perceived barriers to PTSD treatment, and sleep and mental health symptoms. Chart reviews will be conducted 6-months post-treatment to assess number of PTSD treatment appointments attended (treatment engagement measure). Qualitative interviews will be conducted to identify mechanisms underlying PTSD treatment engagement.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychiatric service-connected condition among women Veterans, yet many women Veterans do not receive evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD. PTSD and insomnia disorder are highly comorbid in women Veterans and research suggests that insomnia is a risk factor for PTSD development and severity, while healthy sleep is associated with improved mood, daytime functioning, enhanced learning, and increased emotion regulation. Addressing insomnia symptoms in women Veterans may offer an early point of intervention to reduce insomnia and some PTSD symptoms, while also providing a novel approach to improve patient engagement in PTSD treatments. No previous studies have examined the impact of trauma-informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) on sleep and psychiatric symptoms among women Veterans with comorbid insomnia disorder and PTSD.

This pilot trial will compare trauma-informed CBT-I to a psychoeducational intervention in women Veterans with comorbid insomnia and PTSD. The CBT-I intervention includes trauma-informed adaptations to an insomnia treatment and the psychoeducational intervention is modeled after usual care in a VA Women's Mental Health Clinic.

The study objectives are to: 1) Iteratively refine the structure and materials of trauma-informed CBT-I in preparation for a pilot trial, 2) Pilot test the effects of trauma-informed CBT-I on PTSD treatment readiness and engagement in a sample of women Veterans, and 3) Examine potential mechanisms underlying variations in PTSD treatment readiness and engagement over time among women Veterans.

Women Veterans with insomnia and comorbid PTSD who receive care at Sepulveda and West Los Angeles facilities will be recruited for the study. Those who pass an initial eligibility screen will be enrolled and written informed consent will be obtained. A baseline assessment will be completed that includes measures of PTSD treatment readiness, perceived barriers to PTSD treatment, and sleep and mental health symptoms. The first 5 eligible participants will receive trauma-informed CBT-I and provide feedback to guide intervention refinement. Then Veterans who meet all eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to trauma-informed CBT-I (n=25) or the psychoeducational intervention (n=25). Both treatments will be provided in 5 one-on-one sessions by a trained instructor who is supervised by a behavioral sleep medicine specialist. All randomized participants (n=50) will have 2 follow-up assessments (post-treatment and 3-months). The follow-up assessments will collect information on PTSD treatment readiness, perceived barriers to PTSD treatment, and sleep and mental health symptoms. A chart review will be conducted 6-months post-treatment to assess number of PTSD treatment appointments attended (i.e., treatment engagement measure). Qualitative interviews (n=20) will be conducted with pilot completers and non-completers to identifying other facilitators of and barriers to PTSD treatment engagement.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Phase

  • 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 Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • West Los Angeles, California, United States, 90073-1003
        • Recruiting
        • VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Gwendolyn C Carlson, PhD
        • Contact:

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Community-dwelling women Veterans aged 18 years and older
  • Received care from VAGLAHS
  • Have symptoms of PTSD
  • Have symptoms of insomnia

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Reported health or emotional problems, or use of drugs or alcohol that would make it difficult for them to participate in this study
  • Too ill to engage in the study procedures
  • Unable to self-consent to participate
  • Previously engaged in >1 session of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) treatment
  • Previously engaged in >1 session of PTSD psychoeducational group offered in VAGLAHS Women's Health Clinic
  • Previously completed >3 sessions of PTSD treatment (e.g., Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and/or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing )
  • Pregnant or pregnant within 6 months of study
  • Untreated moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis as evidenced by Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) in chart and/or screens that indicate high risk
  • Unstable housing
  • Inability to read, write, and communicate in English
  • Unstable medical or psychiatric disorders (which is a contraindication for behavioral treatment of insomnia)
  • Remission of PTSD or insomnia symptoms

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: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Trauma-Informed CBT-I
This intervention includes trauma-informed adaptations to standard treatment for insomnia, CBT-I
Behavioral: Trauma-Informed CBT-I
5 individual sessions incorporating behavioral and cognitive therapy components and trauma-informed adaptations with a trained instructor.
Active Comparator: PTSD Psychoeducation
This intervention includes psychoeducation about PTSD symptoms modeled after usual care in a VA Women's Health Clinic.
Behavioral: PTSD Psychoeducation
5 individual sessions incorporating psychoeducation about PTSD symptoms with a trained instructor.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA)
Time Frame: Post-Treatment (approximately 1 week after last intervention session)
The problem-specific URICA (psychotherapy version) is a 32-item questionnaire that assesses respondent's readiness to change at entrance to treatment. The URICA includes 4 subscales measuring the stages of change: Precontemplation (P), Contemplation (C), Action (A), and Maintenance (M). To obtain a readiness to change score, first sum items from each subscale and divide by 7 to get the mean for each subscale. One item from each subscale is omitted for the subscale mean calculations for the 32-item version of the URICA (items 4, 9, 20, and 31). Then sum the means from the Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance subscales and subtract the Precontemplation mean (C + A + M - PC = Readiness). Scores range from -2 to 14. Higher scores will indicate greater readiness.
Post-Treatment (approximately 1 week after last intervention session)
Readiness for Psychotherapy Index (RPI)
Time Frame: Post-Treatment (approximately 1 week after last intervention session)
The RPI is a 20-item questionnaire that assesses respondent's readiness to engage in psychotherapy. The RPI consists of 4 subscales including: disinterest, perseverance, openness, and distress. To obtain a readiness score, sum items from each subscale. Then sum the scores from the perseverance, openness, and distress subscales and subtract the disinterest subscale score (Perseverance + Openness + Distress - Disinterest = Readiness). Scores range from -10 to 70. Higher scores will indicate greater readiness.
Post-Treatment (approximately 1 week after last intervention session)
University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA)
Time Frame: 3-month Follow-up (approximately 90 days after last intervention session)
The problem-specific URICA (psychotherapy version) is a 32-item questionnaire that assesses respondent's readiness to change at entrance to treatment. The URICA includes 4 subscales measuring the stages of change: Precontemplation (P), Contemplation (C), Action (A), and Maintenance (M). To obtain a readiness to change score, first sum items from each subscale and divide by 7 to get the mean for each subscale. One item from each subscale is omitted for the subscale mean calculations for the 32-item version of the URICA (items 4, 9, 20, and 31). Then sum the means from the Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance subscales and subtract the Precontemplation mean (C + A + M - PC = Readiness). Scores range from -2 to 14. Higher scores will indicate greater readiness.
3-month Follow-up (approximately 90 days after last intervention session)
Readiness for Psychotherapy Index (RPI)
Time Frame: 3-month Follow-up (approximately 90 days after last intervention session)
The RPI is a 20-item questionnaire that assesses respondent's readiness to engage in psychotherapy. The RPI consists of 4 subscales including: disinterest, perseverance, openness, and distress. To obtain a readiness score, sum items from each subscale. Then sum the scores from the perseverance, openness, and distress subscales and subtract the disinterest subscale score (Perseverance + Openness + Distress - Disinterest = Readiness). Scores range from -10 to 70. Higher scores will indicate greater readiness.
3-month Follow-up (approximately 90 days after last intervention session)
Frequency of PTSD Treatment Appointments
Time Frame: 6-month Follow-up (180 days after last intervention session)
A structured medical record review will be performed 6 months post-treatment to obtain information on utilization of VA healthcare services during the time period between the last intervention session and 180 days after the last intervention session. Reviews will identify the presence and frequency of mental health appointments with evidence-based practice (EBP) health codes and/or Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) note templates, which are psychotherapies to treat PTSD. Attendance will be measured as a count, ranging from 0 to an unlimited value. Higher counts will indicate greater engagement in PTSD treatment.
6-month Follow-up (180 days after last intervention session)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

VA Office of Research and Development

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Gwendolyn C Carlson, PhD, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, West Los Angeles, CA

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)

June 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 21, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 5, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

January 12, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 20, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CDX 22-009

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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