Managing Insomnia Symptoms Among Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders. Issue 3 (2nd October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mullin, Benjamin C.; Simon, Stacey L.
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based practice in child and adolescent mental health. Volume 2:Issue 3/4(2017)
• Page Start: 123
• Page End: 138
• Publication Date: 2017-10-02
• Subjects: Child psychiatry -- Periodicals; Child mental health -- Periodicals; Teenagers -- Mental health -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Adolescent psychology -- Periodicals; 618.9289
• DOI: 10.1080/23794925.2017.1359704
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2379-4925

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Insomnia is extremely common among adolescents with anxiety disorders, is associated with significant functional impairment, and may serve to maintain anxiety in this population. Despite this, insomnia is not a specific target of the most empirically supported psychosocial treatments for pediatric anxiety. In this article, we begin by reviewing evidence for the interrelatedness of insomnia and anxiety, as well as literature suggesting that treating insomnia directly may be necessary to optimize anxiety-related outcomes. We provide a basic overview for the use of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia with adolescents, including adaptations that may be required when working with anxious patients. We maintain that clinicians treating this population should regard insomnia as a critical target for intervention and that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a promising, brief treatment that is complementary to standard cognitive behavioral approaches to anxiety.