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.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficacy of a Cognitive‐Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia and Nightmares in Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans With PTSD Combat veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom (mean age... | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Chronic nightmare sufferers | 2006 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 23 |
| Testing the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in lucid dreaming: A tDCS study Participants spending three consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 19 |
| Pre-sleep treatment with galantamine stimulates lucid dreaming: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study Adults with high dream recall and an interest in lucid dreaming | 2018 | Randomized crossover trial | n = 121 |
| Studies with lucid dreaming as add-on therapy to Gestalt therapy Adults with nightmares (ICD-10: F51.5) at least twice a week | 2015 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 32 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- Psychosocial treatments for nightmares in adults and children: a systematic review BMC Psychiatry April 21, 2023
- Seeking professional help for nightmares: a representative study The European Journal of Psychiatry December 1, 2013
- Interest in telephone nightmare counselling in patients with sleep-related breathing disorders Somnologie: Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin August 3, 2020
- Psychotherapy Using Images for Nightmares in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Kyushu Neuropsychiatry 2014
and 9 more in the library
Cites 7
- Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2006
- Cognitive-behavioral self-help treatment for nightmares: a randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2010
- Dreaming in posttraumatic stress disorder: A critical review of phenomenology, psychophysiology and treatment. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2007
- Nightmares: from anxiety symptom to sleep disorder. Sleep Medicine Reviews February 1, 2006
- Clinical management of chronic nightmares: imagery rehearsal therapy. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2006
and 2 more in the library