Exposure to war, war nightmares, insomnia, and war-related posttraumatic stress disorder: A network analysis among university students during the war in Ukraine.
Iuliia Pavlova, Aleksandra M Rogowska
Journal of Affective Disorders December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.09.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,072 |
| Population | University students from western Ukraine during the Russian invasion |
| Measures | Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), abbreviated six-item PTSD checklist (PCL-6) |
| Topics | Dreaming PTSD |
| Keywords | Exposure to war Insomnia Nightmares of war University students War-Related PTSD |
| Key findings | Among university students in western Ukraine, 98% reported exposure to war, 86% reported war-related nightmares, 49% had insomnia symptoms, and 27% had war-related PTSD symptoms. Network analysis indicated that war-related PTSD symptoms were central and had the greatest impact on war nightmare frequency and insomnia severity; the authors argue PTSD should be a treatment priority, with integrative programs targeting nightmares, insomnia, and PTSD. |
Abstract
Little is known about the prevalence and associations between war-related variables among Ukrainians during the Russian invasion. The present study assesses the prevalence and associations between exposure to war (EW), nightmares of war (NW), insomnia, and war-related post-traumatic stress disorder (WPTSD) among university students from Ukraine. During the war, an online cross-sectional study was performed among university students (N = 1072) from western Ukraine. Newly developed questions evaluated EW and NW, while insomnia was measured using Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and for assessing war-related PTSD symptoms, we adopted an abbreviated six-item PTSD checklist (PCL-6). The associations between exposure to war, nightmares of war, and symptoms of insomnia and PTSD were examined using network analysis (NA). Among university students, 98 % declared exposure to war, 86 % dreamed nightmares of war, 49 % experienced insomnia symptoms, and 27 % presented symptoms of PTSD. A network analysis found that war-related PTSD has a central and the greatest impact on the frequency of war nightmares and the severity of insomnia symptoms. Self-report measurements were applied to a gender-unbalanced sample of university students from the western regions of Ukraine, so it would be inappropriate to generalize to the population directly affected by the war. War-related PTSD symptoms had the most significant impact on the other variables. Therefore, war-related PTSD should be a priority in treatment among university students in Ukraine. However, multidisciplinary integrative intervention programs that treat nightmares, insomnia, and PTSD, can be the most effective.
Comparable studies
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| 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
Cites 4
- Nightmares and psychiatric symptoms: A systematic review of longitudinal, experimental, and clinical trial studies. Clinical Psychology Review December 17, 2022
- The Many Faces of Sleep Disorders in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Update on Clinical Features and Treatment. Neuropsychobiology September 2, 2021
- Combat-related PTSD nightmares and imagery rehearsal: nightmare characteristics and relation to treatment outcome. Journal of Traumatic Stress October 1, 2012
- Post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep-what a nightmare! Sleep Medicine Reviews April 2000