Imagery rehearsal in the treatment of posttraumatic nightmares in Australian veterans with chronic combat-related PTSD: 12-month follow-up data.
David Forbes, Andrea J Phelps, Anthony F McHugh, Paul Debenham, Malcolm Hopwood, Mark Creamer
Journal of Traumatic Stress October 1, 2003 DOI: 10.1023/a:1025718830026 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study with 12-month follow-up Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Australian Vietnam veterans with chronic combat-related PTSD |
| Intervention | Imagery Rehearsal Therapy |
| Duration | 6 once weekly sessions, with follow-up at 3 and 12 months posttreatment |
| Topics | Dreaming PTSD |
| Key points | Significant improvements in nightmare frequency and intensity, as well as overall PTSD, depression, anxiety, and broader symptomatology, were maintained 12 months after Imagery Rehearsal Therapy. |
Abstract
Nightmares are often a distressing symptom for veterans with chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A psychological treatment that has recently shown considerable promise is Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT). In a pilot study by the current authors, IRT was demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of posttraumatic nightmares in a group of combat veterans up to 3-month posttreatment. This study reports the 12-month follow-up data of the pilot study, examining the longer term outcome of the IRT treatment. Twelve Australian Vietnam veterans with chronic combat-related PTSD were treated with 6 once weekly sessions of imagery rehearsal and assessed using standardised measures of nightmare frequency and intensity, PTSD, depression, anxiety and broader symptomatology at intake, posttreatment, and 3-and 12-month follow-up. Significant improvements in targeted nightmare frequency and intensity were evident to 12-month posttreatment. Similarly, improvements in overall PTSD, depression, anxiety, and broader based symptomatology were also maintained to 12 months. This study provides preliminary evidence that the positive treatment effects of IRT on posttraumatic nightmares, PTSD, and broader symptomatology in males with chronic combat-related PTSD are maintained in the longer term.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 34
- Efficacy of a Cognitive‐Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia and Nightmares in Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans With PTSD Journal of Clinical Psychology April 29, 2013
- Nightmares in Patients with Psychosis: The Relation with Sleep, Psychotic, Affective, and Cognitive Symptoms The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry August 1, 2015
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Nightmares and Sleep Disturbance in Iraq War Veterans: A Feasible and Promising Treatment Combination Journal of Aggression Maltreatment & Trauma July 23, 2009
- Nightmares: Knowledge and attitudes in health care providers and nightmare sufferers Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology July 31, 2014
- Psychosocial treatments for nightmares in adults and children: a systematic review BMC Psychiatry April 21, 2023
and 29 more in the library
Cites 3
- Imagery rehearsal therapy for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA August 1, 2001
- Treatment of combat‐related nightmares using imagery rehearsal: A pilot study Journal of Traumatic Stress April 1, 2001
- A controlled study of imagery rehearsal for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with PTSD: a preliminary report. Journal of Traumatic Stress October 1, 2000