Controlling Nightmares with Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
Gilbert M. Tucker
Journal watch 2001 DOI: 10.1056/jp200109050000001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 168 |
| Population | Women with chronic nightmares and DSM-IIIR-diagnosed PTSD |
| Intervention | Imagery rehearsal therapy |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Imagery rehearsal therapy reduced nightmare frequency and improved sleep and PTSD symptoms relative to a wait-list control in women with PTSD and chronic nightmares. |
Abstract
Recurrent nightmares are common in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but rarely are nightmares treated directly. These researchers randomized 168 women with chronic nightmares and DSM-IIIR-diagnosed PTSD to receive imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) or to be placed on a wait list (control group). Of the participants, 79 percent were …
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficacy of a Cognitive‐Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia and Nightmares in Afghanistan and Iraq Veterans With PTSD Combat veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and/or Operation Iraqi Freedom (mean age... | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Chronic nightmare sufferers | 2006 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 23 |
| Testing the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in lucid dreaming: A tDCS study Participants spending three consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory | 2013 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 19 |
| The Beneficial Effects of One Treatment Session and Recording of Nightmares on Chronic Nightmare Sufferers Adults with chronic nightmares (mean duration 17.2 years) | 1992 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 20 |
| Pre-sleep treatment with galantamine stimulates lucid dreaming: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study Adults with high dream recall and an interest in lucid dreaming | 2018 | Randomized crossover trial | n = 121 |