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Testing the theory of Differential Susceptibility to nightmares: The interaction of Sensory Processing Sensitivity with the relationship of low mental wellbeing to nightmare frequency and nightmare distress

Michelle Carr, Eve Matthews, Jess M Williams, Mark Blagrove

Journal of Sleep Research September 28, 2020 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13200 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 137
Population Students and social media recruits; 104 females, 33 males; mean age 33.66 years
Measures Highly Sensitive Person Scale, General Health Questionnaire
Topics Dreaming
Citations 26
Key findings The authors argue the results support the Differential Susceptibility Framework for nightmares: low mental wellbeing and minor psychiatric problems correlated with nightmare frequency in high and medium Sensory Processing Sensitivity groups (rs = .29 and .28) but not the low group (r = .19), and correlated with trait nightmare distress only in the high group (r = .32).

Abstract

Propensity to have nightmares has been theorised in terms of diathesis-stress models, with this propensity being seen as negative or even pathological. In contrast, a recent model proposes that nightmare propensity is due to Differential Susceptibility to stimuli, where high susceptibility can be beneficial in positive environments but detrimental in negative environments. This susceptibility to stimuli is assessed as the biobehavioural trait Sensory Processing Sensitivity, which refers to a greater responsivity to internal and external stimuli, and an increased depth of cognitive and emotional processing. To test the Differential Susceptibility Framework for nightmares, 137 participants (females = 104, males = 33; mean age = 33.66 years), recruited from a student population and social media sites, were divided into high (n = 39), medium (n = 59) and low (n = 39) Sensory Processing Sensitivity categories based on their score on the Highly Sensitive Person Scale. Low mental wellbeing and the presence of minor psychiatric problems, measured by the General Health Questionnaire, was found to be significantly correlated with nightmare frequency for the high and medium SPS groups (rs = .29 and .28, respectively), but not for the low Sensory Processing Sensitivity group (r = .19). General Health Questionnaire score was also significantly correlated with trait nightmare distress, for the high Sensory Processing Sensitivity group only (r = .32). These findings in favour of the Differential Susceptibility Framework have aetiology and treatment implications for nightmares that differ from diathesis-stress models.

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Study Year Design Participants
Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... 2009 Observational study n = 6
Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years 2002 Prospective observational study n = 116
Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... 1987 Case-control study n = 11
The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams 2004 Observational cohort n = 147
Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects 2018 Observational cohort n = 14

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