A transdiagnostic sleep and circadian intervention for adolescents: six‐month follow‐up of a randomized controlled trial

Background This study examined the 6‐month follow‐up outcomes of the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS‐C), compared to Psychoeducation about sleep and health (PE). Methods Adolescents ( mean [ SD ] = 14.77 [1.84] years) with eveningness chronotype and “at‐risk” in at least one of five health domains were randomized to receive TranS‐C ( n = 89) or PE ( n = 87) at a university‐based clinic. Primary outcomes were average weeknight total sleep time and bedtime calculated from sleep diary, a questionnaire measure of circadian preference, and composite risks in five health domains. Secondary outcomes were selected sleep diary indices, sleepiness, and self‐ and parent‐reported sleep, parent‐reported risks in five health domains. Results Relative to PE, TranS‐C showed treatment effects through 6‐month follow‐up on only one primary outcome; namely eveningness circadian preference. TranS‐C also showed treatment effects on two sleep and circadian secondary outcomes, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and sleep‐diary measured weeknight‐weekend discrepancy in wakeup time. TranS‐C did not show treatment effects on self‐report or parent‐report composite risks in five health domains. PE showed benefit, relative to TranS‐C, from posttreatment to 6‐month follow‐up for reducing parent‐reported behavioral health risk (secondary outcome). Conclusions In at‐risk adolescents, the evidence supports the TranS‐C treatment effects over six months on improving sleep and circadian functioning on selected outcomes but not on reducing risk in five health domains.