Early maternal separation, nightmares, and bad dreams: results from the Hungarostudy Epidemiological Panel.
Attachment & human development March 1, 2011 Szilvia Csóka, Péter Simor, Gabor Szabo et al.
Adults who experienced early maternal separation (before age one and lasting at least one month) report more frequent nightmares and bad dreams. Depression fully explains the link between early separation and nightmare frequency but not the link between early separation and negative dream affect. The findings suggest a lasting increase in negative emotionality following early maternal separation, which shapes dream content and, when depression is present, also raises nightmare frequency.