Psychometric evaluation of the Hamburg Nightmare Questionnaire (HNQ).
Robert-Jacek Gorzka, Katja Rebling, Helge Höllmer, Holger Schulz, Thiemo Knaust, Sonja Protic, Michael Schredl, Lutz Wittmann
European Journal of Psychotraumatology January 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2019.1592393 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe Hamburg Nightmare Questionnaire (HNQ) is a short self-rating instrument developed to assess nightmares, differentiate between nightmare types, and measure their impact on daytime functioning. In a sample of 707 German soldiers, the HNQ showed satisfactory psychometric properties, including a sound factorial structure, adequate internal consistency, and initial indications of construct validity for its subscales. The HNQ is a reliable and economic tool for assessing posttraumatic nightmares in clinical and research settings.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Psychometric evaluation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 707 |
| Population | German soldiers passing through standard diagnostics at the Center for Mental Health at the German Armed Forces Hospital Hamburg |
| Keywords | Nightmares Questionnaire design Trauma |
| Key finding | The Hamburg Nightmare Questionnaire demonstrates satisfactory psychometric characteristics, including factorial structure, internal consistency, and construct validity, making it a reliable tool for assessing posttraumatic nightmares. |
Abstract
Background: Nightmares are a widespread phenomenon. In comparison to the general population, they occur in mentally ill and especially in traumatized individuals with an increased frequency. Despite the high prevalence, there is no short questionnaire in the German language that is able to characterize nightmares, to differentiate between different nightmare types and to assess their impact on daytime functioning. Objective: The Hamburg Nightmare Questionnaire (HNQ) has been developed as a short self-rating instrument to fill this gap. Method: Psychometric characteristics of the HNQ were evaluated in a sample of 707 German soldiers passing through the standard diagnostics of the Center for Mental Health at the German Armed Forces Hospital Hamburg. Results: The results of this study show satisfactory psychometric characteristics as a sound factorial structure and adequate internal consistency for the HNQ as well as initial indications of the construct validity of its subscales. Conclusions: The HNQ is a reliable and economic tool for the assessment of posttraumatic nightmares in clinical as well as research settings.