Evaluating the Impact of Digital Behavioral Interventions to Address Insomnia and Depression in Breast Cancer Survivors Using an Adaptive Design

July 17, 2026 updated by: Philip Chow, Ph.D., University of Virginia
Co-occurring symptoms of insomnia and depression is very common in breast cancer survivors, and it is critical that scalable and easily accessible digital behavioral interventions are made available. Digital health interventions are scalable and accessible. Moreover, behavioral digital interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of insomnia and depression, respectively, in breast cancer survivors, suggesting strong potential for public impact, though their potential for addressing co-occurring symptoms of insomnia/depression has not been tested. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a digital insomnia program and a digital mental health program in multiple ways: 1) as standalone interventions to reduce both symptoms of co-occurring insomnia and depression for breast cancer survivors; and 2) as components in adaptive behavioral treatment strategies that optimally sequence them for survivors who need additional support, resulting in a multifaceted supportive approach that is low cost, easily accessible, and highly efficient.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

747

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Virginia
      • Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, 22903

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • (1) age ≥18 years
  • (2) Diagnosed with stage 0-3 breast cancer
  • (3) Primary treatment for cancer (i.e., chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation, and surgical procedures intended to remove malignant tissue) finished between 3 months to 5 years from enrollment, with the exception of adjuvant hormonal, endocrine, and immunotherapy
  • (4) elevated insomnia severity as measured by the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score ≥ 10, and elevated symptoms of depression as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) score ≥ 10
  • (5) meets DSM 5 criteria for insomnia and depression.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • (1) Current behavioral or psychological treatment for insomnia or depression
  • (2) a change in medication for insomnia or depression within the past 4 weeks
  • (3) irregular sleep schedules or shift work (i.e., usual bedtimes outside 8:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. or arising time outside 4:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.)
  • (4) mental health condition deemed to interfere with study procedures or put the participant at undue risk based on self-reported history of psychosis or bipolar disorder, or active suicidal ideation that necessitates more intense care (as indicated from the Pitt-Optimum Suicide Management Protocol)
  • (5) other self-reported untreated sleep disorders (i.e., obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome)
  • (6) no reliable internet access (e.g., home broadband, public network, personal data plan) by smartphone
  • (7) cannot read and speak English
  • (8) does not reside within the US.

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: Factorial Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Digital Insomnia Program First
Participants assigned to receive the digital insomnia program first will use it for 9 weeks. Based on their response after 9 weeks, some will be re-randomized to receive an additional intervention (digital mental health program) or not.
Behavioral: Digital Insomnia Program
A self-guided, fully automated, interactive, and tailored internet-based program modeled on the primary tenants of face-to-face CBT-I (sleep restriction, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, sleep hygiene, relapse prevention). It is fully accessible as a web-based application via smartphones, computers, and tablets. Content is metered out over time through six "Cores". Each Core acts as a digital analog for the typical weekly sessions of face-to-face CBT for insomnia, following the same general structure: (1) Core objectives - what will be learned and why this information is important, (2) review of previous week's homework and sleep diary data, (3) new intervention material, (4) assignment of homework - treatment strategies for the coming week, and (5) a summary of the Core's main points. Users obtain access to a new Core based on a time- and event-based schedule (i.e., time since previous Core, completion of sleep diaries).
Behavioral: Digital Mental Health Program
A self-guided, fully automated app designed for brief, frequent check-ins to promote skill acquisition. Exercises in the app are assigned for 1 week each, and each exercise focuses on a specific mental health target (e.g., cognitive restructuring, savoring positive experiences, increasing knowledge of mental health).
Experimental: Digital Mental Health Program First
Participants assigned to receive the digital mental health program first will use it for 9 weeks. Based on their response after 9 weeks, some will be re-randomized to receive an additional intervention (digital insomnia program) or not.
Behavioral: Digital Insomnia Program
A self-guided, fully automated, interactive, and tailored internet-based program modeled on the primary tenants of face-to-face CBT-I (sleep restriction, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, sleep hygiene, relapse prevention). It is fully accessible as a web-based application via smartphones, computers, and tablets. Content is metered out over time through six "Cores". Each Core acts as a digital analog for the typical weekly sessions of face-to-face CBT for insomnia, following the same general structure: (1) Core objectives - what will be learned and why this information is important, (2) review of previous week's homework and sleep diary data, (3) new intervention material, (4) assignment of homework - treatment strategies for the coming week, and (5) a summary of the Core's main points. Users obtain access to a new Core based on a time- and event-based schedule (i.e., time since previous Core, completion of sleep diaries).
Behavioral: Digital Mental Health Program
A self-guided, fully automated app designed for brief, frequent check-ins to promote skill acquisition. Exercises in the app are assigned for 1 week each, and each exercise focuses on a specific mental health target (e.g., cognitive restructuring, savoring positive experiences, increasing knowledge of mental health).
Active Comparator: Psychoeducation Only
Participants assigned to this arm will only receive the psychoeducation program for 9 weeks. They will not be eligible to be re-randomized to receive additional program.
Behavioral: Psychoeducation
An internet delivered program that includes modules containing general health information that is not specific to mental health or insomnia. Modules contain information on the topics such as exercise and heart health,. Content is primarily text-based and contains public domain health information; that is, content that is sourced primarily from US government health websites and is non-proprietary.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Patient Health-Questionnaire-8
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline
Patient Health Questionnaire-8
Time Frame: Post 18-weeks
Post 18-weeks
Insomnia Severity Index
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline
Insomnia Severity Index
Time Frame: Post 18-weeks
Post 18-weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Virginia

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

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 (Estimated)

September 30, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 30, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

July 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

July 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 17, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 7466
  • R01CA295673 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

Contingent on the approval of the University of Virginia

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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