Stimulus control therapy (SCT) is a behavioral intervention originally developed by Richard Bootzin in the 1970s to treat sleep problems. SCT is structured for individuals whose sleep-onset latency is too long or for those who wake up during the night and cannot fall back asleep; thus, it is especially beneficial for treating insomnia. Insomnia is defined as a sleep disorder in which the person has difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, and/or experiences early-morning awakenings without the ability to return to sleep for a designated period of time. SCT is one of the most widely used interventions for insomnia. Before discussing the basic components and treatment outcomes of SCT, it may be helpful to understand the behavioral theory that underlies SCT for sleep disorders such as ...