Trauma-related dreams of Australian veterans with PTSD: content, affect and phenomenology.
Andrea J Phelps, David Forbes, Malcolm Hopwood, Mark Creamer
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry October 2011 DOI: 10.3109/00048674.2011.599314 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Veterans |
| Topics | Dreaming Philosophy of mind PTSD |
| Key findings | Dream content varied between replay, non-replay, and mixed types, but affect was largely the same as trauma-time affect across all types. ANOVA showed no difference between dream types on PTSD severity or nightmare distress, providing preliminary support for non-replay dreams to satisfy the DSM B2 criterion when affect matches. |
Abstract
Consensus on the parameters of trauma-related dreams required to meet criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is critical when: (i) the diagnosis requires a single re-experiencing symptom; and (ii) trauma dreams are prevalent in survivors without PTSD. This study investigated the phenomenology of PTSD dreams in 40 veterans, using structured interview and self-report measures. Dream content varied between replay, non-replay, and mixed, but affect was largely the same as that experienced at the time of trauma across all dream types. ANOVA indicated no difference between dream types on PTSD severity or nightmare distress. The findings provide preliminary support for non-replay dreams to satisfy the DSM B2 diagnostic criterion when the affect associated with those dreams is the same as that experienced at the time of the traumatic event.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessing the quality of publicly available videos on MDMA‐assisted psychotherapy for PTSD Videos on YouTube about MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD | 2022 | Cross-sectional study | n = 100 |
| Perceptions of psychedelic-assisted therapy among Black Americans. Black and White American adults | 2023 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 294 |
| Coping motives mediate the relationship between PTSD and MDMA use in adolescents with substance use disorders German adolescent SUD patients aged 13–18 years at an outpatient clinic | 2022 | Cross-sectional study | n = 111 |
| Risk factors of sleep paralysis in a population of Polish students. Polish university students under 35 | 2022 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 2,553 |
| Expert opinions on implementation of MDMA-assisted therapy in Europe: critical appraisal towards training, clinical practice, and regulation. Researchers and clinicians involved in MDMA-AT clinical trials and contributors to the... | 2024 | Survey | n = 68 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- An Ambulatory Polysomnography Study of the Post-traumatic Nightmares of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Sleep November 21, 2017
- The phenomenology of nightmares in post-traumatic stress disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation June 30, 2023
- Dream Enactment Behaviour in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder European Journal of Psychotraumatology January 7, 2025
- Physiological markers of Trauma-related nightmares among military personnel suffering from PTSD: A multicenter home-recording study. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences February 14, 2026
- Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Preliminary Validation of a French Version of the Trauma-Related Nightmare Survey (TRNS-FR) in a PTSD Veteran Population. Military Medicine April 26, 2022
and 3 more in the library
Cites 8
- Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Sleep 2002
- Questionnaires and diaries as research instruments in dream research: Methodological issues. Dreaming March 1, 2002
- Best practice guide for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine August 1, 2010
- Variety and intensity of emotions in nightmares and bad dreams. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease April 1, 2006
- 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
and 3 more in the library