Charles M. Morin, Ph.D.
Full Professor, Department of Psychology, Laval University
Director, Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil
Canada Research Chair in Sleeping Disorders
Discoveries on the mechanisms underlying insomnia leading to more effective treatment approaches.
Professor Charles Morin's research is aimed at advancing knowledge to promote a better quality of life for people suffering from sleep disorders, and more specifically insomnia. His research has led to the development of tools that are used around the world, such as the Insomnia Severity Index, and the Sleep Beliefs and Attitudes Scale, two questionnaires that are used to assess behaviors, beliefs and attitudes of patients with insomnia. He is also the author of numerous insomnia reference books for clinicians, and book about insomnia for the public, Conquering the Enemies of Sleep, which is in its second edition.
Dr. Morin's recent research aims to develop therapeutic approaches to help people with insomnia. His team is at the forefront of the study of alternative, non-pharmacological, therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to treat insomnia. His research has shown that CBT not only improves people's sleep, but also their well-being during the day, their mood, their energy, their ability to concentrate.
Dr Morin’s main motivation is to help people with insomnia. In addition to studies aimed at understanding the fundamental mechanisms behind these disorders, his team works to ensure that his findings are shared and available to clinicians and patients around the world. He has developed online tools validated for the treatment of insomnia by cognitive-behavioral therapy, to make these tools available to the greatest number (Sleep Healthy Using the Internet -SHUTi)
Morin's team is also studying the links between insomnia and several other disorders, such as head trauma, anxiety, stress, cancer, attention problems and depression.
The lab in 2016
Bélanger, L., Harvey, A. G., Fortier-Brochu, É., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Eidelman, P., Talbot, L., Ivers, H., Hein, K., Lamy, M., Soehner, A. M., Mérette, C., & Morin, C. M. (2016). Impact of comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders on treatment response to cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 84, 659-667.
Eidelman, P., Talbot, L., Ivers, H., Bélanger, L., Morin, C. M., & Harvey, A. G. (2016). Change in dysfunctional beliefs about sleep in behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia. Behavior Therapy, 47, 102-115.
Jarrin, D. C., Chen, I. Y., Ivers, H., Lamy, M., Vallières, A., & Morin, C. M. (2016). Nocturnal heart rate variability in patients treated with cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Health Psychology, 35, 638-641.
Morin, C. M., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Bélanger, L., Ivers, H., Sánchez-Ortuño M. M., Vallières, A., Savard, J., Guay, B., Mérette, C. (2016). Cognitive-behavior therapy singly and combined with medication for persistent insomnia: Impact on psychological and daytime functioning. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 87, 109-116.
Morin, C. M., Edinger, J. D., Krystal, A. D., Buysse, D. J., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., & Ivers, H. (2016). Sequenced therapies for comorbid and primary insomnia: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 17, 118.
Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Fortier-Brochu, É., Ivers, H., & Morin, C. M. (2015). Attention following traumatic brain injury: Neuropsychological and driving simulator data, and association with sleep, sleepiness, and fatigue. Neuropsychological rehabilitation, 24, 1-23.
Morin, C. M. (2015). Cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia: State of the science versus current clinical practices. Annals of Internal Medicine, 163, 236-237.
Morin, C. M., Drake, C. L., Harvey, A. G., Krystal, A. D., Manber, R., Riemann, D., & Spiegelhalder, K. (2015). Insomnia disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 1, 1-18.
Fortier-Brochu, E., & Morin, C. M. (2014). Cognitive impairment in individuals with insomnia: Clinical significance and correlates. Sleep, 37, 1787-1798.
Harvey, A. G., Bélanger, L., Talbot, L. Eidelman, P., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Fortier-Brochu, E., Ivers, H., Lamy, M., Hein, K., Soehner, A. M., Mérette, C., & Morin, C. M. (2014). Comparative efficacy of behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy for chronic insomnia: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82, 670-683.
Jarrin, D. C., Chen, I. Y., Ivers, H., & Morin, C. M. (2014). The role of vulnerability in stress-related insomnia, social support and coping styles on incidence and persistence of insomnia. Journal of Sleep Research, 23, 681-688.
Morin, C. M., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Ivers, H., Vallières, A., Guay, B., Savard, J., & Mérette, C. (2014). Speed and trajectory of changes of insomnia symptoms during acute treatment with cognitive-behavioral therapy, singly and combined with medication. Sleep Medicine, 15, 701-707.
Morin, C. M., LeBlanc, M., Ivers, H., Bélanger, L., Mérette, C., Savard, J., & Jarrin, D. C. (2014). Monthly fluctuations of insomnia symptoms in a population-based sample. Sleep, 37, 319-326.
Prix Noël-Mailloux de l’Ordre des psychologues du Québec (2004),
Prix Adrien Pinard de la Société québécoise pour la recherche en psychologie (2006)
Prix Donald O. Hebb de la Société canadienne de psychologie (2009)
Prix Marcel-Vincent de l’Association francophone pour le savoir (2012)
Médaille Gloire de l’Escolle des Prix Grands diplômés de l’Association des diplômés de l’Université Laval (2014)
Distinguished Scientist Award de la Sleep Research Society (2016).
Université Laval
École de psychologie
2325 rue des Bibliothèques
Québec (Québec)
G1V 0A6
