Testing the nightmare cognitive arousal processing model.

Presleep cognitive arousal and longer sleep onset latency predict the occurrence of posttrauma nightmares in male veterans with mixed-trauma history. Physiological presleep arousal was also higher on nights when nightmares occurred. The findings replicate earlier work and suggest that therapies targeting presleep thoughts, time to fall asleep, and physical arousal may help treat posttrauma nightmares, though the small sample of 15 participants warrants cautious interpretation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Posttrauma nightmares are recurring nightmares that begin after a traumatic experience. Research has only recently begun to identify variables that predict posttrauma nightmare occurrences. Research has identified presleep arousal-cognitive (PSA-C) and presleep arousal physiological (PSA-PHYS), sleep onset latency (SOL), and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) as potential predictors of posttrauma nightmares. However, previous research includes methodological limitations, such as a lack of physiological measures and a homogeneous sample. To replicate previous findings and increase generalizability, the current study investigated predictors of nightmare occurrences in a sample of male inpatient veterans with mixed-trauma history. METHOD Participants (n = 15) completed an initial assessment battery and seven consecutive days of pre and postsleep diaries, including measures of posttrauma nightmare triggers and posttrauma nightmare occurrences. Portable objective measurements of sleep and presleep states were used to examine sleep quality and physical arousal. RESULTS Analyses revealed that PSA-C and SOL both predicted posttrauma nightmare occurrences and that PSA-PHYS was significantly higher on nights when nightmares occurred. CONCLUSION Results replicate earlier research which posits that PSA and SOL play a role in triggering the occurrence of posttrauma nightmares. It should be noted that the sample was relatively small, warranting cautious interpretation of results. However, when taken together with the findings of the replicated study, results could suggest the plausibility of therapies targeting presleep cognitions, SOL, and presleep arousal in the treatment of posttrauma nightmares. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).