Original ArticleSleep quality changes in chronically depressed patients treated with Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy or the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy: a pilot study

•Sleep changes were measured in response to group psychotherapy for chronic depression.•Study groups: MBCT plus treatment-as-usual (TAU), CBASP plus TAU; Control group: TAU only.•The CBASP group psychotherapy improved stable sleep compared with TAU.

ObjectiveTo capture any sleep quality changes associated with group psychotherapy.Patients/methodsPhysician-referred, chronically depressed patients (n = 25) were randomized to either eight group sessions of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT, n = 9) plus Treatment As Usual (TAU), or the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP, n = 8) plus TAU, or to TAU only (control group, n = 8). Participants recorded their sleep at home. The primary outcome variables were: stable and unstable sleep, which were assessed using cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) analysis, and estimated total sleep and wake time (minutes). Cardiopulmonary coupling measures heart rate variability and the electrocardiogram's R-wave amplitude fluctuations associated with respiration.ResultsBy post-treatment night 6, the CBASP group had more stable sleep (p = 0.044) and less wake (p = 0.004) compared with TAU, and less wake vs MBCT (p = 0.039).ConclusionThe CBASP group psychotherapy treatment improved sleep quality compared with Treatment As Usual.