Psychological interventions to improve sleep in young adults : a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction: The effects of impaired sleep on the wellbeing of young adults are profound, and the adverse outcomes for mental health are well documented in the research literature. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify, summarize, and synthesize the available evidence from randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) investigating psychological interventions aimed at improving sleep and related secondary outcomes such as anxiety and depression in healthy young adults. Method: Nine electronic databases (Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], PubMed, Scopus, PsycNET, CINHAL, INFORMIT, Web of Science [Science and Social Citation Index], OpenSigle and EMBASE) were searched, returning 54 full-text papers for assessment, with 13 studies meeting inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. Results: A random effects meta-analysis showed that the combined effect of all interventions was moderate (ES = −0.53, 95% CIs [- 0.69, −0.36], p < .01), reflecting the efficacy of psychological interventions at improving sleep scores at post-intervention. Subgroup analyses of individual interventions showed that cognitive-behavioral interventions improved sleep (ES = −0.67, 95% CIs [−0.77, −0.57], p <.01) and secondary outcomes for anxiety (ES = −0.35, 95% CIs [−0.56, −0.15], p <.01) and depression (ES = −0.41, 95% CIs [−0.70, −0.13], p <.01) at post-intervention. Conclusion: The results of the current review support the implementation of cognitive and behavioral interventions for sleep among young adults experiencing both sleep and comorbid mental health problems. © 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.