Development of a Structure-Validated Nightmare Experience Questionnairein Chinese University Students
September 30, 2014 Wanzhen Chen, You Xu, Ming Zhu et al.
A new questionnaire called the Nightmare Experience Questionnaire (NEQ) was developed and tested in 321 Chinese university students who had lifelong nightmare experiences. The NEQ measures four distinct factors of nightmare experience: Physical Effect, Negative Emotion, Meaning Interpretation, and Horrible Stimulation. A 20-item version (five items per factor) showed the best statistical fit. Nightmare frequency was positively linked to all four factors. Women scored higher than men on the Negative Emotion and Meaning Interpretation factors. The questionnaire may aid understanding of psychiatric disorders involving emotional dysregulation, particularly in women.