Imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) reduced chronic nightmares, improved sleep quality, and decreased PTSD symptom severity in women with PTSD, most of whom had experienced sexual assault. In a randomized trial of 168 women in New Mexico, those receiving three IRT sessions showed large reductions in nightmare frequency and PTSD symptoms at 3- and 6-month follow-up, while wait-list controls showed only small, nonsignificant improvements. Posttraumatic stress symptoms decreased by at least one level of clinical severity in 65% of the treatment group, compared with symptoms worsening or not changing in 69% of controls. IRT appears to be a brief, well-tolerated treatment for chronic nightmares in PTSD.
A one-day imagery rehearsal therapy workshop reduced chronic nightmares in adolescent girls with a history of unwanted sexual experiences. At three months, the treatment group reported 57% fewer nights with nightmares and 71% fewer nightmares per month, while the control group showed no significant change. Sleep quality and posttraumatic stress symptoms did not improve in either group. Imagery rehearsal therapy, which involves changing a nightmare's content and rehearsing the new version daily for 5 to 20 minutes, appears effective for chronic nightmares in this population.
Imagery-rehearsal therapy reduced nightmare frequency and PTSD severity and improved sleep quality in sexual assault survivors with PTSD. In a randomized controlled trial, 169 women were assigned to either a treatment group receiving three therapy sessions over 5 weeks or a wait-list control. At a 3-month follow-up of 91 women, the treatment group showed moderate to large improvements compared to small changes in the control group, with effect sizes ranging from 0.57 to 1.26. Despite a large dropout rate, the therapy is effective for chronic nightmares in this population.