Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

NCT number NCT01502930
Other study ID # ICBT_Nightmares
Secondary ID
Status Completed
Phase Phase 3
First received December 22, 2011
Last updated May 15, 2014
Start date January 2012
Est. completion date April 2014

Study information

Verified date May 2014
Source Karolinska Institutet
Contact n/a
Is FDA regulated No
Health authority Sweden: Regional Ethical Review Board
Study type Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effect of an internet-based, guided self-help treatment of reoccurring and distressing nightmares. Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) will be compared to an active control treatment (CONT) and a recording-only group (REG). It is hypothesized that both active treatments will be superior to REG, and that IRT will be superior to CONT.


Description:

Nightmares are distressing or frightening dreams, affecting 2.4 to 5% of the population. Suffering consists of disturbed sleep, fear and distress during night and/or day, expectancy anxiety and impaired functioning during the day.

Various forms of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) has been previously shown to be effective against nightmares and among them Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) has been the most promising. IRT consists of approaching the unpleasant dreams and to imagine a positive ending to them. So far IRT has been compared to untreated controls or treatments that have included methods to some extent similar to those in IRT, and it is therefore difficult to determine the specific effect of IRT.

Since access to CBT therapists is low, different types of self-help treatments for nightmares have been tested, but often these therapies have been provided without the assistance of a therapist, a procedure known to usually lower the effect of self-help treatments. So far, no nightmare treatment has been conducted over the Internet.

IRT will in this study be given as Internet CBT (ICBT) and will be compared to an active and credible control treatment (CONT) consisting of relaxation and exercise to focus on positive images or dreams, but without approaching or reinterpreting the nightmares. Relaxation Training has previously shown preliminary positive effects on nightmares. Both active treatments will be compared to a waiting list which only records how they manage their nightmares (REG).

The main purpose of this study is to examine whether the positive effects of IRT that has been seen in previous studies persists even when IRT is compared with a credible, active control treatment that does not contain the presumed active parts of the IRT. In addition, an untreated control group is used to ensure that the effects are not only due to spontaneous improvement. The control group will afterwards be treated with IRT without therapist support, in order to make a preliminary evaluation of the importance of therapist support.

Some researchers argue that nightmares are not to be seen only as something that is often caused or is a side effect of other conditions, but as a separate problem that should receive special treatment. Our study will help to determine whether it is possible to treat nightmares also in people with other problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).


Recruitment information / eligibility

Status Completed
Enrollment 175
Est. completion date April 2014
Est. primary completion date April 2014
Accepts healthy volunteers No
Gender Both
Age group 18 Years and older
Eligibility Inclusion Criteria:

- have at least one nightmare (including awakening) or unpleasant dream (do not wake up) per week for at least a month.

- experience significant discomfort or distress due to nightmares/unpleasant dream.

- the content of the nightmares are not only related to a previous trauma.

- at least 18 years

- speaks, writes and read Swedish

- can not foresee any practical barriers to participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

- only suffers from night terrors and no nightmares according to criteria (a) to (c)

- has a high alcohol or drug use assessed by the AUDIT / DUDIT and assessment interview.

- somatic or psychiatric problems that are directly contraindicated or seriously hamper the implementation of the treatment (eg, psychotic disorders).

- have severe depression, defined as MADRS-S over 30 or suicidal risk judged by more than 4 points on the MADRS-S question 9 or according to the structured telephone assessment.

- has a total score over 76 on the IES-R (one standard deviation above the mean for individuals with a diagnosis of PTSD).

- is diagnosed with PTSD and can not provide proof that they have a current health care contact regarding PTSD.

- suffer from intrusive images or flashbacks during their waking hours (regardless of a PTSD diagnosis).

- currently undergoing some form of treatment that focuses on reducing symptoms of nightmares.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


Intervention

Behavioral:
IRT
Internet-based IRT with therapist support during 6 weeks
Stress Reduction
Internet-based stress reduction with therapist support during 6 weeks

Locations

Country Name City State
Sweden Internetpsykiatrienehten (Internet Psychiatry Unit), Psykiatri Sydväst, SLSO Stockholm

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor Collaborator
Karolinska Institutet Stockholm County Council, Sweden

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Sweden, 

Outcome

Type Measure Description Time frame Safety issue
Primary Change in nightmare frequency and distress Change (from baseline) of nightmare frequency and distress according to daily registrations 6 weeks (Post) and 16 months (FU) No
Secondary Change (from baseline) in Nightmare Distress self-report Self-report of nightmare frequency and distress during last 14 days 6 weeks (Post) and 16 months (FU) No
Secondary Change (from baseline) in IES_R Impact of Events Scale, self-report to measure PTSD-symptoms 6 weeks (Post) and 16 months (FU) No
Secondary Change (from baseline) in ISI Insomni Severity Index, self-report to measure Insomnia symptoms 6 weeks (Post) and 16 months (FU) No
Secondary Change (from baseline) in MADRS-S Montgomery and Asberg Depressions Rating Scale - Self Report, to measure level of depression 6 weeks (Post) and 16 months (FU) No
Secondary Change (from baseline) in HADS Hospital Ancxiety and Depression Scale, self rating to measure anxiety and depression 6 weeks (Post) and 16 months (FU) No
See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT00393874 - Efficacy of Sleep Interventions for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) N/A
Completed NCT02199652 - Reducing Suicidal Ideation Through Treatment of Nightmares-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Phase 4
Enrolling by invitation NCT01314612 - Initial Study of Insomnia/Nightmare Group Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) N/A
Completed NCT01512771 - The Effect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment on PTSD Symptoms. N/A
Recruiting NCT02242110 - Brief Treatment for Trauma Nightmares in Trauma-exposed Adults With Bipolar Disorder N/A
Completed NCT01009112 - Treating Insomnia & Nightmares After Trauma: Impact on Symptoms & Quality of Life N/A
Completed NCT02506595 - A Trial of Treatment for Trauma-Related Nightmares in Active Duty Military Personnel N/A
Completed NCT00291031 - Study of the Effect of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) of Nightmares Phase 1/Phase 2
Recruiting NCT03974503 - Understanding Trauma Nightmares Using In-Home Measurement N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT02773693 - Treatment of Comorbid Sleep Disorders and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) N/A
Recruiting NCT02236390 - Integrating Sleep, Nightmare and PTSD Treatments N/A
Completed NCT00513045 - A Self-Help Method for Nightmares N/A
Completed NCT00691626 - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Nightmares in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans N/A