Imagery rehearsal treatment of chronic nightmares: with a thirty month follow-up.
Nightmare frequency and self-rated distress were assessed retrospectively in two groups of chronic nightmare sufferers 30 months after treatment. In the initial phase, the image group (N = 9) learned a cognitive-behavioral technique (imagery rehearsal) for the treatment of nightmares. They were taught in one group session to: (1) record a nightmare; (2) change it (usually to something positive); and (3) rehearse the new images daily. The record group (N = 10) recorded nightmares during the first month only and learned imagery rehearsal subsequent to 3-month follow-up measurements. At 3 months and at 30 months, both groups had significantly fewer nightmares, but only the rehearsal group had less total distress. The results support the theory that nightmares are a primary sleep disorder rather than a symptom of an underlying psychiatric problem.
Krakow
B
B
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131.
Kellner
R
R
Neidhardt
J
J
Pathak
D
D
Lambert
L
L
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004325:Dreams / Q000523:psychology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012008:Recurrence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*