Sensitive adaptation and evaluation of CBT-I in workplace settings

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the recommendations and future work and limitations and future-work section and stated research gap and stated challenges of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2025 and 2026, spanning 5 journals. Those papers have been cited 14 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 7 representative gaps

• Sleep Quality in the Emotional Symptoms and Well-Being of University Students (2026) · Chronobiology in Medicine · doi

  Universities may consider implementing periodic screening strategies that integrate sleep quality measures (e.g., PSQI) along- side brief indicators of anxiety, stress, and depression, framed as a descriptive and preventive approach rather than a diagnostic path- way [41,43]. These efforts can be complemented by the dissemi- nation of evidence-informed information about sleep regulation and common sleep difficulties, as well as the incorporation of clear referral pathways within university settings [23,44]. In line with current guidelines and research evidence, institu- tions may prioritize non-pharmacological approaches to sleep problems, particularly CBT-I, while avoiding the prescriptive ap- plication of clinical interventions in non-clinical academic con- texts [21,23,44]. In this regard, digital and app-based tools with personalized feedback may serve as scalable options for health promotion and self-management support, with demonstrated ef- fectiveness in improving sleep outcomes and reducing insomnia severity among university students [22]. Johanna Cristina Bocanegra Sandoval, et al104 / CIM Finally, prevention and intervention strategies should adopt a context-sensitive perspective, taking into account sex differences, patterns of stress and daytime functioning, and fluctuations asso- ciated with academic demands [15,16,45]. Although causal rela- tionships cannot be inferred, integrating sleep-related indicators into broader awareness and referral frameworks for psychologi- cal distress and suicidal ideation may support early identification and prevention efforts in university populations [12,13,45,46].

  generalrecommendations
  Keywords: sleep university strategies indicators stress efforts evidence referral clinical academic support prevention universities consider implementing
• The historical and contemporary aspects of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in recent 30 years: a bibliometric study (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi

  sleep hygiene insomnia treatment dysfunctional beliefs comorbid insomnia effective treatment chronic pain effect size general population sleep onset latency primary care treating insomnia confidence interval major depression cognitive therapy intervention group sleep restriction risk factor anxiety disorder primary insomnia poor sleep 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1878379

  generalfuture work
  Keywords: sleep insomnia treatment primary hygiene dysfunctional beliefs comorbid effective chronic pain effect size general population
• Network analysis of lifestyle behaviors and anxiety in children and adolescents: gender and school-stage heterogeneity (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi

  rather than causal First, the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference; central or bridge nodes should be interpreted as correlational signals leverage points. These findings are hypothesis-generating, and claims about mechanisms or intervention relevance require longitudinal or experimental evidence. Second, the reliance on self-reported measures may introduce biases. The IPAQ-SF may not be appropriate for the youngest participants, and measurement invariance of the GAD-7 across school stages was not formally tested. Sleep and dietary behaviors were assessed using brief self-developed items. Supplementary item-level analyses suggested that the central role of MPA was preserved, whereas the constituent sleep- and dietrelated items showed heterogeneous contributions, particularly for sleep. Future research should employ validated instruments such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

  generallimitationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: sleep causal central self items rather first cross sectional design precludes inference bridge nodes interpreted
• Sleep Quality and Psychological Well-Being Among Postgraduate Students (2026) · International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) · doi

  Future research should employ longitudinal designs to clarify the directionality of the sleep-wellbeing relationship. Intervention studies, such as sleep hygiene programmes, can be used to test whether improving sleep quality causally enhances well-being outcomes. Cross-cultural and discipline-specific comparisons can enrich understanding of how contextual academic pressures shape this relationship.

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: future research employ longitudinal designs clarify directionality sleep-wellbeing
• Digital CBT for insomnia and emotion regulation in the workplace: a randomised waitlist-controlled trial (2025) · Psychological Medicine · cited 11× · doi

  There is a need for sensitive adaptation and evaluation of CBT-I in workplace settings. The existing literature supports the efficacy of dCBT-I in reducing insomnia symptoms, but there is a gap in evaluating the effectiveness of a hybrid programme that merges CBT for insomnia with ER techniques in workplace settings.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there need sensitive adaptation evaluation cbt-i workplace settings
• Efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions for alleviating insomnia in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder: systematic evaluation and net meta-analysis (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · cited 3× · doi

  The complexity and interactive nature of the relationship between anxiety and insomnia pose a challenge to developing effective therapeutic approaches. The lack of standardization in non-pharmacological interventions for GAD-related insomnia is a challenge to evaluating their efficacy. The variability in study quality and methodology is a challenge to conducting a network meta-analysis of non-pharmacological interventions for GAD-related insomnia.

  generalstated challengesevidence 5/5
  Keywords: complexity interactive nature relationship between anxiety insomnia pose
• Perceived stress and depression in Chinese university students: a parallel mediation analysis examining the roles of insomnia and somatic symptoms (2026) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi

  Future studies should investigate the causal relationships between perceived stress, insomnia, somatic symptoms, and depression. Future studies should examine the effectiveness of interventions targeting sleep problems and somatic symptoms in preventing depression among university students. Future studies should explore the potential mechanisms that may account for the association between perceived stress and depression in different populations.

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 4/5
  Keywords: future studies investigate causal relationships between perceived stress

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