title: Dreams of the dead among Cambodian refugees: frequency, phenomenology, and relationship to complicated grief and posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: The authors investigated the importance of dreams of the deceased in the experiencing of prolonged grief (PG) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Cambodian refugees who survived the Pol Pot genocide (1975-1979). Such dreams were frequent in the last month (52% of those surveyed), and most often involved a relative who died in the Pol Pot period. Past month frequency was correlated with PG severity (r = .59) and PTSD severity (r = .52). The dreams were almost always deeply upsetting because the dreams indicated the deceased to be in a difficult spiritual state. Dreams of the deceased as a central component of PG and PTSD among Cambodian refugees is discussed.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. devon_hinton@hms.harvard.edu
authors: Devon E
authors: DE
authors: Hinton
authors: Program in Clinical Psychology, Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California, USA.
authors: Nigel P
authors: NP
authors: Field
authors: Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, Masschusetts, USA.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: Nickerson
authors: School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
authors: Richard A
authors: RA
authors: Bryant
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Simon
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002160:Cambodia / Q000208:ethnology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004325:Dreams / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D029181:Spirituality; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology