Sleep Disorders: Behavioral Treatment

Carl J. Stepnowsky Jr.

Because thoughts, feelings, and actions can all have an impact on the quality of a night's sleep, sleep may be considered a behavior that is in part under conscious control of an individual. Psychology specializes in helping individuals modify their thoughts, feelings, and actions using a variety of techniques based on well-known principles. Behavioral sleep medicine is a field that has recently come into existence and focuses on the identification and treatment of those psychological factors that contribute to the development and/or maintenance of sleep disorders (Stepanski & Perlis, 2000). Behavioral sleep medicine specialists are typically psychologists who have completed a Ph.D. in clinical psychology or a related psychological area with appropriate training; the most advanced are board certified in sleep medicine. The behavioral treatment of sleep disorders focuses on the assessment and treatment of the complaint of insomnia, providing adjunctive therapy for sleep disorders that result in excessive daytime ...

Users without subscription are not able to see the full content on this title. Please, subscribe or login to access all content on this website.