Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychiatric condition that affects approximately 6% of the US population, with even higher rates among veterans. Sleep disturbances (e.g., distressing dreams) are among the most reported symptoms in individuals with PTSD. Distressing dreams (sometimes referred to as nightmares) have been associated with significant negative mental health...
Study Objectives: Trauma nightmares are a core feature of PTSD, with potentially devastating implications for mental health outcomes. Treatments remain unsatisfactory and nightmares are poorly understood, both biologically and phenomenologically; measurement methods are limited. The aims of the current analyses were to (1) characterize distressing dreams in trauma survivors, (2) examine the...
Trauma-related nightmares are highly prevalent among veterans and are associated with higher-severity insomnia and posttraumatic stress disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (typically 6–8 sessions) has been shown to reduce trauma-related nightmares. Brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI, 4 sessions) has been found to be comparable to CBT-I in decreasing insomnia severity;...