A prospective study of nightmare disorder among Chinese adults in Hong Kong: Persistence and mental health outcomes.
Stanley Kam Ki Lam, Cherry Tin Yan Cheung, Edward K S Wang, Albe Sin Ying Ng, Hong Wang Fung
Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2024 DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2024.2318264 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 230 |
| Population | Hong Kong Chinese adults |
| Duration | 6-month follow-up |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Two-thirds of participants with probable nightmare disorder at baseline still met DSM-5 criteria six months later, and baseline nightmare severity predicted worse mental health outcomes including PTSD symptoms. |
Abstract
Previous studies showed that nightmares are prevalent and are associated with negative health outcomes. However, no empirical data is available demonstrating the extent to which nightmare disorder persists over time. Current literature provides a limited understanding of the trajectory and wider mental health outcomes of nightmare disorder. This longitudinal study examined the persistence and mental health outcomes of nightmare disorder. A total of 230 Hong Kong Chinese adults completed standardized assessments twice with an interval of about 6 months. Over half (66.7%) of the participants with probable nightmare disorder at baseline remained to meet the DSM-5 criteria for the disorder at follow-up. Participants with probable nightmare disorder at baseline were significantly more likely to screen positive for PTSD (82.1% vs 18.3%) (p < .001) (p < .001), and they reported higher rates of mental health service usage at both timepoints (p = .001 to .003). Baseline nightmare disorder severity was negatively associated with subsequent self-rated mental health (β = -.151, p = .010) and self-esteem (β = -.141, p = .009) and it also predicted subsequent PTSD symptoms (β = .122, p = .012). This study provides first empirical data showing that nightmare disorder could be persistent over time. Nightmare disorder symptoms are associated not only with PTSD symptoms but also with a broader range of mental health issues. This study points to the public health importance of identifying and managing nightmare disorder symptoms in the community. Additionally, the presence of nightmare disorder symptoms may be a helpful indicator for identifying post-traumatic stress.
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 9
- Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis Neurotherapeutics November 23, 2020
- Prevalence and Characteristics of Posttraumatic Nightmares in War- and Conflict-Affected Students Nature and Science of Sleep March 1, 2021
- Prevalence and Detailed Experience of Nightmare and Nightmare Disorder in Chinese University Students Sage Open April 1, 2021
- Nightmare Disorder Prevalence as Defined by the DSM-5 in a College Sample August 1, 2017
- Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Nightmare disorder index in adolescents. Stress and Health October 1, 2023
and 4 more in the library