Study on the Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Chronic Nightmares

NCT00977340 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: StudieAlptraum1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 122
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a change in the content of nightmares is necessary at all in the treatment of chronic nightmares or if a single confrontation with their content is sufficient to reduce nightmare frequency significantly.

Conditions

Nightmare Disorder

Keywords

Chronic nightmare sufferers; nightmares; Imagery Rehearsal Therapy IRT; sleep disturbance; treatment of nightmares; confrontation; People who suffer of chronic nightmares

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• frequency of nightmares

  Nightmare Frequency Questionnaire (NFQ, Krakow et al., 2000) number of nightmares per week. The participant is asked to state the number of nightmares in the last three months, the response is to be given as an absolute frequency per year, month, or week, whichever is applicable. The range is zero to any number the participant states, the maximum number reported was 20.

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

• nightmare effects

  Nightmare Effects Survey (NES, Krakow et al., 2000) The first item asks whether the person's life is generally affected by nightmares. The remaining eleven items list areas in daily life (sleep, work, relationships, daytime energy, school, mood, sex life, diet, mental health, physical health, and leisure activities) rated on 5-point Likert scales regarding how much they are "adversely or negatively affected by nightmares". The range is 0 to 44, and higher values indicate more effects.

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

• nightmare distress

  Nightmare Distress Questionnaire (NDQ, Belicki, 1992) The NDQ consists of 13 items rated on 5-point Likert scales. Eleven items pertain to daytime consequences of nightmares (e.g., disliking someone because they were in a nightmare; being afraid to fall asleep for fear of having a nightmare); two items explore interest in professional help and treatment. The range is 13 to 65, and higher values indicate more distress.

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Anxiety

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

• Depression

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

• sleep quality

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

• self efficacy

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

• General psychopathology

  in the first diagnostical session, four weeks after interventional session in addition to follow-up-measurement

Study Arms (3)

Imagery Rehearsal Treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

Imagery Rehearsal Treatment; 1 session on-site and 4 weeks of individual daily training; following principles Krakow and Zadra (2006)

Behavioral: Imagery Rehearsal Treatment

Confrontation

EXPERIMENTAL

Confrontation with nightmare content, until fear reaction habituates; 1 session on-site and 4 weeks of individual daily training

Behavioral: confrontation

Imagination

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Imagination of a safe and pleasant site; 1 session on-site and 4 weeks of individual daily training

Behavioral: imagination

Interventions

Imagery Rehearsal Treatment BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Rehearsal Therapy

Imagery Rehearsal Treatment

confrontation BEHAVIORAL

Confrontation

Confrontation

imagination BEHAVIORAL

Imagination

Imagination

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• nightmare frequency of at least one night per week for six month duration
• stable medication
• if currently in psychotherapy: no treatment of nightmares
• Informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Life time clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV
• Body mass index \< 17
• Initiation of nightmares after taking pharmaceuticals
• Clinical diagnosis of alcohol or drug addiction according to DSM-IV
• Mental retardation

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Goethe University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Johann Wolfgang Goethe University - Department of Clinical Psychology and Ppsychotherapy

Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, D-60054, Germany

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Parasomnias

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sleep Wake Disorders; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Regina Steil, PhD

  Johann Wolfgang Goethe University - Department of Clinical Psychology and Ppsychotherapy

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Scientific director behavior therapy outpatient center

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 14, 2009
• First Posted: September 15, 2009
• Study Start: October 1, 2009
• Primary Completion: November 8, 2017
• Study Completion: November 8, 2017
• Last Updated: August 27, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (1)