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A controlled study of imagery rehearsal for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with PTSD: a preliminary report.

Barry Krakow, Michael Hollifield, R Schrader, Mary P. Koss, D Tandberg, J Lauriello, L McBride, Teddy D. Warner, D Cheng, T Edmond, Robert Kellner

Journal of Traumatic Stress October 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1023/a:1007854015481 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
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
Topics Dreaming PTSD
Key findings 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.

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