Usability, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Digital Health Technology for Patient Monitoring of Chronic Insomnia Symptoms and the Promotion of Functional Sleep Behaviors: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Chronic insomnia affects approximately 30% of the Italian population, leading to significant impairments in daily functioning and overall health. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment, access is limited due to a shortage of trained specialists and resources within the Italian healthcare system. This study aims to evaluate the usability, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a mobile application designed to assist individuals with chronic insomnia. The app offers digital sleep diaries, personalized sleep hygiene education, relaxation exercises, and an interactive chatbot to promote healthy sleep behaviors. Fifty adult participants diagnosed with chronic insomnia will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group, which will use the mobile application alongside their usual treatment, or to a control group receiving only standard care. The primary outcomes will assess the app's usability and participants' adherence to sleep hygiene practices. Secondary outcomes will evaluate changes in insomnia severity, mood, and quality of life. Assessments will occur at the start of the study, after the 8-week intervention, and at a 6-month follow-up to explore the intervention's long-term effects.
• Adults aged 18 to 70 years
• Diagnosis of chronic insomnia according to DSM-5 criteria
• Willingness to participate in the study and provide informed consent
• Personal active email address
• Ownership of a compatible mobile device with internet access (for the DHT group)