Proposed Cut Scores for the Nightmare Experience Scale (NExS) Among Nonclinical Samples: An Analog Study
Emily O. Cooper, William E. Kelly
Individual Differences Research December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.65030/idr.21006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 480 |
| Population | Undergraduate participants |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Discriminative model Scale ratio Dream Rating scale Distressing Psychometrics Clinical psychology |
| Key findings | A cut score of ≥9 on the Nightmare Experience Scale is suitable for identifying potential clinically salient nightmares in nonclinical populations. |
Abstract
This study employed an analog design to evaluate optimal cut scores for the Nightmare Experience Scale (NExS) to identify individuals with possible clinically salient nightmares (CSNs) in a nonclinical sample. Undergraduate participants (N = 480) completed the NExS, the Disturbing Dream and Nightmare Severity Index (DDNSI), and the SLEEP-50 Nightmare Scale (S50-N). Using established DDNSI and S50-N thresholds, participants were classified into possible CSN and control groups. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted to evaluate NExS accuracy. The NExS demonstrated strong discriminative ability (AUC = .941) in distinguishing between positive and negative cases of possible CSNs. Sensitivity and specificity indices indicated that a cut score of ≥9 is suitable for identifying potential CSNs in nonclinical populations. Future studies incorporating clinical interviews are warranted to determine the scale’s utility for detecting clinically meaningful nightmare presentations in clinical settings.
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 |