Effects of early nightmares on the development of sleep disturbances in motor vehicle accident victims

✍ Scribed by Ihori Kobayashi; Eve M. Sledjeski; Eileen Spoonster; William F. Fallon Jr.; Douglas L. Delahanty

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 121 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0894-9867
• DOI: 10.1002/jts.20368

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The present study prospectively examined the extent to which trauma‐related nightmares affected the subsequent development of insomnia symptoms in 314 motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims. Participants were assessed in‐hospital and at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year post‐MVA. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that 6‐week PTSD symptoms (PTSS) and 3‐month nightmares, but not 2‐week nightmares were positively associated with sleep onset and maintenance problems reported at 3‐month post‐MVA. Nightmares reported at 3‐months post‐MVA were positively associated with 1‐year sleep maintenance problems. These findings highlight the dynamic relationship between PTSS and sleep problems as well as the potential importance of early intervention for trauma‐related nightmares as a means to prevent sleep problems after a traumatic experience.