Could talk therapy and light fix sleep in teens with ADHD?
NCT ID NCT07767617
First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 25, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This trial tests whether cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), with or without bright light therapy, can improve sleep and other outcomes in adolescents with ADHD who also have insomnia and a late sleep schedule. Participants aged 10-24 will receive CBT-I plus either bright light or a placebo light. The study measures changes in insomnia severity, sleep patterns, mood, and cognitive function.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) with or without bright light therapy
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could offer a non-drug way to improve sleep, mood, and daily functioning in adolescents with ADHD and insomnia.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is early-stage and results may not apply to all teens. Bright light therapy may cause side effects like eye strain or headaches.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 150 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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10 to 24 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion criteria: An adolescent who meets the following criteria will be eligible for taking part in this study: 1. aged 10-24 years old; 2. ADHD diagnosis confirmed by DISC-IV; 3. DSM-5 diagnosis of insomnia disorder with an ≥ 9 (suggested cut-off for adolescents); 4. Being classified as evening chronotype according to the score on the Horne-Östberg Morning-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and having a sleep onset time of 11:15pm or later for 12 year olds, 11:30pm or later for 13-14 year olds, 12:00am or later for 15-17 years old \[64\], 10:56pm or later for 18-24 years old at least 3 nights per week in the past 3 months and as confirmed by a 7-day sleep diary; 5. Written informed consent from the participant and their parent/guardian (for those aged under 18); 6. Being able to comply with the study protocol; 7. Either not on ADHD medication or stabilized on medications for at least 6 months. Exclusion criteria: An adolescent who meets one or more of the following criteria will be excluded from the study: 1. Substance abuse or dependence; a current or past history of manic or hypomanic episode, schizophrenia, ASD, organic mental disorders, or intellectual disabilities; 2. Prominent medical condition affecting sleep (e.g., severe eczema, GERD); 3. Clinically diagnosed sleep disorder other than insomnia disorder, such as narcolepsy, sleep-disordered breathing, and restless leg syndrome; 4. Concurrent, regular use of medications(s) known to affect sleep continuity and quality including both prescribed medications (e.g., hypnotics, steroids) and over-the-counter OTC medications (e.g., melatonin, Traditional Chinese Medicine, TCM), except for ADHD stimulants; 5. Ongoing psychological treatment for sleep problems; 6. With hearing or speech deficit; 7. Having a clinically significant suicidality (presence of suicidal ideation with a plan or an attempt).
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Sleep Research Clinic & Laboratory, Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong,
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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