Purpose of Review
This article discusses existing research in internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (iCBT-I) and three domains that researchers identified as the critical gaps to be addressed in the next wave of clinical trials. Our focus is on iCBT-I interventions in which delivery of clinical content has been automated, rather than CBT-I-based telemedicine interventions involving synchronous clinician participation.
Recent Findings
Despite its effectiveness and potential to revolutionize insomnia care, iCBT-I faces several challenges regarding real-world implementation.
Summary
First, research into patient characteristics predicting treatment response may reveal novel patient trajectories and help clinicians match individuals to interventions. Second, optimizing iCBT-I treatments to be maximally effective while requiring minimum investment from patients may be vital to uptake. Lastly, an understanding of the cost-effectiveness of iCBT-I relative to other treatment modalities will support administrators and insurers in allocating financial resources to iCBT-I. Ultimately, widespread implementation of iCBT-I hinges upon how these questions are answered in the coming years.
