Gender differences in nightmare characteristics following trauma
Protić Sonja, Gorzka Robert-Jacek, Höllmer Helge, Schredl Michael, Wittmann Lutz
Psihologija June 9, 2023 DOI: 10.2298/psi210906020p (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 707 |
| Population | Soldiers admitted to a hospital-based treatment program for veterans |
| Topics | PTSD Dreaming |
| Keywords | Nightmares Military Gender Replicativeness |
| Key findings | Gender differences in posttraumatic nightmare characteristics are largely explained by PTSD diagnosis, nightmare frequency, and age, rather than gender itself. |
Abstract
Gender is one of the well-recognized risk factors for idiopathic nightmares, but rarely connected to posttraumatic nightmare characteristics. Thus, this study aims to test gender differences in (posttraumatic) nightmare characteristics after controlling for trauma-related psychopathology in a large sample of people who experienced trauma. Research participants were 707 soldiers (mean age 31.3 years, 19.5% women) admitted to a hospital-based treatment program for veterans who completed extensive assessments consisting of clinical interviews and self-rating measures with respect to socio-demographic characteristics and psychopathology, as well as dream-related variables. Results indicate no gender differences with respect to nightmare frequency, psychophysical and emotional involvement, reorientation, and dream recall after awakening. Differences between men and women in the amount of replicative content are fully, and in case of nightmare related impairment, explained mainly by the presence of PTSD diagnosis, nightmare frequency, and age. This study questions the significance of gender as a risk factor or predictor of specific (posttraumatic) nightmare characteristics in traumatized and military samples. Further research needs to test if our findings are restricted to military contexts or can be generalized to civilian samples.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- Prevalence of Nightmare Disorder in Psychiatric Outpatients Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2013
- Dreaming and the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey in a U.S. sample. Dreaming September 1, 2020
- Pandemic nightmares: Effects on dream activity of the COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. Journal of Sleep Research October 1, 2021
- Psychometric evaluation of the Hamburg Nightmare Questionnaire (HNQ). European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2019
- Association of Posttraumatic Nightmares and Psychopathology in a Military Sample Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy October 9, 2017
and 3 more in the library