DARC-NESS: a mastery-based cognitive-behavioral model for treating chronic nightmares in youth
Frontiers in Sleep February 27, 2026 Lisa DeMarni Cromer, Emily Kaier Cromwell, Lauren Prince et al.
Theories of chronic nightmare maintenance highlight dysfunctional beliefs about sleep and nightmares, distress and arousal, anticipatory anxiety, maladaptive sleep habits, and sleep deprivation as perpetuating factors that maintain nightmare disorder over time. Theories of nightmare treatment suggest that self-efficacy is a common factor in nightmare mitigation. The current article introduces...