A controlled study of imagery rehearsal for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with PTSD: a preliminary report.
B Krakow, M Hollifield, R Schrader, M Koss, D Tandberg, J Lauriello, L McBride, T D Warner, D Cheng, T Edmond, R Kellner
Journal of Traumatic Stress October 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1023/a:1007854015481 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractImagery-rehearsal therapy reduced nightmare frequency and PTSD severity and improved sleep quality in sexual assault survivors with PTSD. In a randomized controlled trial, 169 women were assigned to either a treatment group receiving three therapy sessions over 5 weeks or a wait-list control. At a 3-month follow-up of 91 women, the treatment group showed moderate to large improvements compared to small changes in the control group, with effect sizes ranging from 0.57 to 1.26. Despite a large dropout rate, the therapy is effective for chronic nightmares in this population.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 169 |
| Population | Sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder |
| Intervention | Imagery-rehearsal therapy |
| Duration | 5-week intervention, 3-month follow-up |
| Key finding | Imagery-rehearsal therapy is an effective treatment for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with PTSD, associated with improved sleep quality and decreased PTSD severity. |
Abstract
Imagery-rehearsal therapy for chronic nightmares was assessed in a randomized, controlled study of sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Nightmares, sleep quality, and PTSD were assessed at baseline for 169 women, who were randomized into two groups: treatment (n = 87) and wait-list control (n = 82). Treatment consisted of two 3-hr sessions and one 1-hr session conducted over 5 weeks. Of 169 participants, 91 women (Treatment, n = 43, Control, n = 48) completed a 3-month follow-up and 78 did not. At follow-up, nightmare frequency and PTSD severity decreased and sleep quality improved in the treatment group with small to minimal changes in the control group. Treatment effects were moderate to high (Cohen's d ranged from 0.57 to 1.26). Notwithstanding the large dropout rate, imagery-rehearsal therapy is an effective treatment for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with PTSD and is associated with improvement in sleep quality and decreases in PTSD severity.