title: Imagery rehearsal for posttraumatic nightmares: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: One hundred twenty-four male Vietnam War veterans with chronic, severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to imagery rehearsal (n = 61) or a credible active comparison condition (n = 63) for the treatment of combat-related nightmares. There was pre-post change in overall sleep quality and PTSD symptoms for both groups, but not in nightmare frequency. Intent-to-treat analyses showed that veterans who received imagery rehearsal had not improved significantly more than veterans in the comparison condition for the primary outcomes (nightmare frequency and sleep quality), or for a number of secondary outcomes, including PTSD. Six sessions of imagery rehearsal delivered in group format did not produce substantive improvement in Vietnam War veterans with chronic, severe PTSD. Possible explanations for findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Yale University and National Center for PTSD, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT 06516, USA. Joan.Cook@yale.edu
authors.forename: Joan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Gerlinde C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Harb
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gehrman
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Cary
authors.forename: Geraldine M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forbes
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D004325:Dreams / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D047829:Vietnam Conflict