A systematic review of Nightmare prevalence in children.
Elissar El Sabbagh, Aviva N Johns, Christy E Mather, Lisa D Cromer
Sleep Medicine Reviews October 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101834 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | School-aged youth (pediatric developmental and psychiatric samples) from 23 countries |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Adolescents Children Nightmare disorder Nightmare prevalence Nightmares |
| Key findings | Nightmare prevalence peaks between ages 10 and 14, is higher in girls than boys, and varies widely by sample type and assessment method. |
Abstract
The purpose of this narrative review was to describe prevalence rates of nightmares and nightmare disorder in school-aged youth according to sample characteristics and methods used to assess nightmares. We searched PsychINFO, PubMed, and CINAHL databases to identify empirical peer-reviewed articles and grey literature published between 2001 and 2021. Sixty-nine studies from 23 countries were included. The prevalence of nightmares was between 1% and 11% in the past week and 25% to 35% in the past month in pediatric developmental samples and between 27% and 57% in the past week and 18%-22% in the past month in psychiatric samples. The prevalence of nightmare disorder was approximately between 3% and 6% in pediatric developmental samples and 10%-12% in psychiatric samples. Nightmare prevalence peaks between ages 10 and 14 then decreases with older age. Generally, prevalence was higher in girls than boys, and one study suggested gender divergence started around age 14. Children's self-reports were higher than parent reports, except in samples with comorbid psychiatric problems where there was more parent-child agreement. Inconsistencies in nightmare definitions and measurement were observed across the literature and indicate a need for standardized measurement of nightmares.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Efficacy of a telehealth cognitive behavioral therapy for improving sleep and nightmares in children aged 6–17 Frontiers in Sleep July 11, 2024
- Bad dream, nightmares and psychopathology: a systematic review Frontiers in Psychiatry October 8, 2024
- Treating war- and conflict-related nightmares in children and youth: outcomes of a school-based intervention Frontiers in Sleep January 8, 2026
- Haunted by Nightmares: Factors Associated with Nightmare Frequency and Experiences Psychology 2025
- DARC-NESS: a mastery-based cognitive-behavioral model for treating chronic nightmares in youth Frontiers in Sleep February 27, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 12
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- Longitudinal associations of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress with suicidal behavior in adolescents: mediating role of depressive symptoms Sleep July 2, 2020
- The nature of posttraumatic nightmares and school functioning in war-affected youth PLoS One November 25, 2020
- Prevalence and Characteristics of Posttraumatic Nightmares in War- and Conflict-Affected Students Nature and Science of Sleep March 1, 2021
- A Nationwide Cohort Study of Parasomnias Among Adolescents. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry July 6, 2021
and 7 more in the library