Insomnia is common but severely underreported and undertreated. One possible reason for this problem is the lack of providers in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). To address this we created CBTIweb.org, an online training platform for providers to learn the basics of sleep, assessing insomnia, and CBT-I. The present study assessed the reach of CBTIweb by examining engagement, knowledge acquisition, and perceived acceptability. Participants who registered for CBTIweb self-reported their practice setting and personal characteristics (i.e. degree, profession, licensure status). Knowledge acquisition was assessed with pre- and post-tests, and provider acceptability was assessed via a survey. In the first three months after launching CBTIweb, 2586 providers registered and 624 of these completed the training within three months of registering. Chi-square tests of independence revealed no differences in completion rates by education or profession, though trainees were more likely to initiate and complete treatment than licensed providers. Paired t tests revealed significant knowledge acquisition, and most providers positively rated the website navigation, content, aesthetics, and understanding of core CBT-I skills. This study demonstrated CBTIweb is an effective platform for training health professionals to be minimally proficient in the gold standard treatment for insomnia disorder.
Web-based provider training of cognitive behavioral therapy of insomnia: engagement rates, knowledge acquisition, and provider acceptability.