Dream Work and Nightmare Treatments
Patricia T. Spangler, Wonjin Sim
Psychotherapy Skills and Methods That Work September 28, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197611012.003.0019 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Cognitive experiential dream model Imagery rehearsal therapy Exposure relaxation and rescripting therapy |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | A meta-analysis of eight studies of the cognitive experiential dream model with 514 clients showed moderate effect sizes for session depth and insight gains. A prior meta-analysis of 13 studies with 511 clients found that imagery rehearsal therapy and exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy produced moderate to large reductions in nightmare frequency and small to moderate decreases in sleep disturbance. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter describes methods for working with dreams and nightmares, provides clinical examples, and reviews research evidence of immediate and distal effects of each method. An original meta-analysis of eight studies using the cognitive experiential dream model with 514 clients showed moderate effect sizes for session depth and insight gains. In the nightmare treatment literature, a previous meta-analysis of 13 studies with 511 clients showed moderate to large effects in reducing nightmare frequency and small to moderate effects in decreasing sleep disturbance for imagery rehearsal therapy and exposure, relaxation, and rescripting therapy. Limitations of the current meta-analysis of cognitive-experiential dream work and of the prior meta-analyses of nightmare treatments are described. The chapter discusses diversity considerations in working with dreams and nightmares and concludes with training implications and therapeutic practices.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- Comparative efficacy of imagery rehearsal therapy and prazosin in the treatment of trauma-related nightmares in adults: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews April 1, 2020
- A pilot randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioral treatment for trauma-related nightmares in active duty military personnel. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine November 26, 2019
- Efficacy of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Sexual Assault Victims With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Traumatic Stress August 1, 2018
- Pilot Study: Brief Posttrauma Nightmare Treatment for Persons With Bipolar Disorder Dreaming June 1, 2018
- A critical review of the evidence base of imagery rehearsal for posttraumatic nightmares: pointing the way for future research. Journal of Traumatic Stress September 30, 2013
and 2 more in the library