CBT-i Coach

Name: CBT-i Coach
Author: US Department of Veterans Affairs

US Department of Veterans Affairs

VALIDATED

Proven effective in research studies · Supported by multiple studies

For:General Public & EnthusiastsPatients & Caregivers

Free

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

App Summary

CBT-i Coach is a mobile app for individuals experiencing insomnia that delivers a structured program based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) to improve sleep habits, either as a standalone tool or to supplement professional therapy. An effectiveness study (N=1618) of its public use found that engagement with the app was associated with significant improvements in insomnia symptoms, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality. The associated research concludes the app is a valuable public health tool for improving sleep, potentially serving a preventative role for those who may not have access to formal CBT-i.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed collaboratively by the VA National Center for PTSD, Stanford School of Medicine, and the DoD, CBT-i Coach operationalizes the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. The application delivers a structured program that educates on sleep science and guides the development of positive sleep routines. Its core interface captures user input via a digital sleep diary and provides tools for behavioral modification. The system also integrates with external health monitoring devices to facilitate progress tracking.

Evidence & Research Context

A large-scale effectiveness study (N=1618) of public users demonstrated that app engagement was associated with significant improvements in insomnia symptoms (d=0.57), sleep efficiency, and sleep quality.
A preliminary randomized controlled trial (N=18) established the app's feasibility and high acceptability when used to supplement in-person CBT-i, noting it did not compromise therapeutic benefits.
A separate pilot study among military Veterans (N=11 completers) indicated significant improvements in subjective measures of insomnia severity and sleep quality, though objective sleep efficiency did not change.
Surveys of VA clinicians (N=176) conducted two years post-release indicated robust adoption, with 60% reporting use with patients and favorable perceptions of the app's impact on treatment adherence.

Intended Use & Scope

This application is designed for individuals experiencing insomnia symptoms, primarily as an adjunct to augment face-to-face therapy with a qualified healthcare professional. While its components can support self-guided improvement of sleep habits, the tool does not provide a clinical diagnosis and is not a substitute for professional mental health care.

Studies & Publications

5 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Effectiveness/Outcome Study

Investigating the Effectiveness of CBT-i Coach, a Free, Publicly Available mHealth App for Insomnia

Dolezal et al. (2024) · Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science

Demonstrated significant improvements in insomnia symptoms, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality.

CBT-i Coach is a free, publicly available mobile health application (app) that provides users with the core intervention components of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i). By making these components directly accessible to users, CBT-i Coach potentially circumvents barriers to accessing CBT-i, such as a scarcity of and lack of referral to trained providers. It may also serve a preventative function by helping address sleep disruption before it reaches clinical levels. However, no study to date has investigated the potential effectiveness of CBT-i Coach for either of these two purposes in public, naturalistic use. This study observed public CBT-i Coach use over an 18-month period to investigate whether users reporting either clinical or subclinical insomnia symptoms (N = 1618) showed improvement in insomnia symptoms, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality while using the app and whether clinically meaningful engagement with the app was associated with improvements. Users' insomnia symptoms, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality improved while using CBT-i Coach (d = 0.57, 0.41, and 0.24, respectively). Regarding clinically meaningful engagement, greater engagement with the My Sleep (b = − 0.004) and Tools (b = − 0.050) sections were associated with lower final insomnia symptoms, and greater engagement with the My Sleep section (b = 0.012) was associated with higher final sleep quality. CBT-i Coach therefore appears to be a valuable public health tool to improve sleep. It may also provide a preventative service by addressing sleep disruption among those with subclinical symptom levels who otherwise might not have access to CBT-i.

Effectiveness/Outcome Study

The Effects of App-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) on Sleep Quality, Dysfunctional Beliefs, and Sleep Hygiene Behaviors

Leonard et al. (2020) · Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research

Improved sleep quality, sleep hygiene behaviors, and sleep efficiency.

Sleep quality is correlated with physical and mental health and is an important target for overall well-being. CBT-I is an evidence-based strategy to improve sleep quality; however, shortage of qualified providers; logistical issues such as cost, travel, and time; privacy concerns; and a desire to resolve symptoms on one's own limit access to CBT-I. Compared to traditional face-to-face or web-based delivery of CBT-I, app-delivered CBT-I may be an efficacious alternative capitalizing on the portability, privacy, and accessibility of mobile phones. The present study examined the effectiveness of the CBT-I Coach for educating participants about the importance of healthy sleep practices and dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and targeted sleep. The use of the CBT-I Coach resulted in significant improvements in sleep quality, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, sleep hygiene behaviors, and sleep efficiency. This study supports the use of CBT-I Coach as an effective intervention for improving sleep quality.

In the Media

Deployment Psychology Blog

The Center for Deployment Psychology developed CBT-i Coach to address sleep issues among military personnel and veterans, integrating cognitive behavioral therapy techniques into a mobile platform. The center's deployment psychology blog discusses considerations for using the app in telehealth settings as part of comprehensive mental health care. The app serves as a digital tool to support evidence-based sleep interventions for military populations.

DeploymentpsychRead article

Staff Voices: CBT-I Coach review

The Center for Deployment Psychology developed CBT-i Coach as a mobile app designed to support Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia work with patients, providing sleep psychoeducation, relaxation skills, and sleep diary functionality. The app includes key therapeutic components like stimulus control activities, sleep restriction support, and the Insomnia Severity Index assessment with automated reminders for prescribed bed and wake times. Clinicians note that the app serves as "a great supportive tool to use in conjunction with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia" rather than a standalone self-help resource.

DeploymentpsychRead article