Nightmare frequency in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Michael Schredl, J Malte Bumb, Barbara Alm, Esther Sobanski
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience February 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-016-0686-5 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 65 |
| Population | Adult ADHD patients |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder Comorbid mental disorder Nightmares Treatment |
| Key findings | Nightmare frequency is elevated in adult ADHD patients compared to the general population, and this increase is not explained by dream recall or comorbid mental disorders. |
Abstract
Nightmare frequency in adult ADHD patients has not yet been studied systematically. In a sample of 65 patients, it could be shown that nightmare frequency was elevated in ADHD patients compared to a sample representative for Germany. Frequent nightmares (once a week or more often) were reported by 4.62 % of the patients and 1.77 % of the controls. This increase was neither explained by the increased dream recall in general nor by the presence of a comorbid mental disorder. Questions about nightmares should be included in the diagnostic procedures for ADHD patients, and it should be tested whether well-established nightmare treatment strategies like imagery rehearsal treatment might be beneficial to those patients with nightmares.