Verbal memory functioning moderates psychotherapy treatment response for PTSD-Related nightmares.
J Cobb Scott, Gerlinde C. Harb, Janeese A. Brownlow, Jennifer Greene, Ruben C Gur, Richard J Ross
Behaviour Research and Therapy April 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2017.01.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 94 |
| Population | U.S. veterans with PTSD-related recurrent nightmares |
| Topics | Dreaming PTSD |
| Keywords | Imagery rehearsal therapy Insomnia Memory Neuropsychology Nightmares Posttraumatic stress disorder Psychotherapy Sleep |
| Key findings | Lower verbal immediate memory was associated with less improvement in nightmare distress, nightmare frequency, and sleep quality across both treatments, even after controlling for overall cognitive performance and depression. History of traumatic brain injury was associated with greater symptom severity but did not change the trajectory of treatment response. |
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with cognitive deficits in attention, executive control, and memory, although few studies have investigated the relevance of cognitive difficulties for treatment outcomes. We examined whether cognitive functioning and history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) were associated with response to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for PTSD-related sleep problems. In a randomized controlled trial of Imagery Rehearsal (IR) added to components of CBT for Insomnia (IR + cCBT-I) compared to cCBT-I alone for PTSD-related recurrent nightmares, 94 U.S. veterans completed a battery of cognitive tests. TBI was assessed via structured clinical interview. Mixed-effects models examined main effects of cognitive functioning and interactions with time on primary sleep and nightmare outcomes. Significant verbal immediate memory by time interactions were found for nightmare distress, nightmare frequency, and sleep quality, even after controlling for overall cognitive performance and depression. TBI exhibited main effects on outcomes but no interactions with time. Findings indicated that individuals with lower verbal memory performance were less likely to respond to treatment across two sleep interventions. Veterans with TBI displayed greater symptoms but no altered trajectories of treatment response. Together with prior literature, findings suggest that verbal memory functioning may be important to consider in PTSD treatment implementation.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Cognitive functioning associated with acute and subacute effects of classic psychedelics and MDMA - a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports June 26, 2024
- Dreaming during COVID-19: the effects of a world trauma Research in Psychotherapy Psychopathology Process and Outcome August 24, 2021
- The Effectiveness of Imagery Rescripting Interventions for Military Veterans With Nightmares and Sleep Disturbances: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy July 1, 2024
- Treating posttraumatic nightmares in trauma-affected refugees: An investigation of outcome predictors of imagery rehearsal therapy. Journal of Psychiatric Research 2026
- Rêves et cauchemars sont-ils de nouveaux outils en thérapie cognitivo-comportementale ? Journal de Thérapie Comportementale et Cognitive September 1, 2019
and 1 more in the library
Cites 3
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