Long-term effectiveness of cognitive-behavioural self-help intervention for nightmares.
Jaap Lancee, Victor I. Spoormaker, Jan Van den Bout
Journal of Sleep Research September 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2010.00894.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 198 |
| Population | Adults with nightmares |
| Interventions | Imagery rehearsal Exposure |
| Duration | 6-week intervention, 42-week follow-up |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Initial effects of imagery rehearsal and exposure self-help interventions on nightmare measures were almost completely sustained after 42 weeks, with no difference between the two treatments. |
Abstract
Nightmares are a prevalent disorder leading to daily impairments. Two cognitive-behavioural self-help interventions--imagery rehearsal and exposure--recently showed short-term efficacy compared to a waiting-list and a group that recorded their nightmares. This paper reports the long-term results of the imagery rehearsal (n=103) and exposure (n=95) interventions. Participants were assigned randomly to a condition after completing baseline measurements; they received a 6-week self-help intervention and completed questionnaires 4, 16 and 42 weeks after end of treatment. Initial effects on nightmare measures were almost completely sustained after 42 weeks (d=0.50-0.70); no differences were found between exposure and imagery rehearsal therapy. These results suggest that nightmares should be targeted specifically and that an internet-delivered self-help intervention seems to be a good first option in a stepped-care model.