Understanding Trauma Nightmares Using In-Home Measurement

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Nightmares, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Actigraphy, Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia, Veterans

In brief

Trauma-related nightmares in Veterans are associated with poor clinical outcomes, greater substance use, and increased risk of suicide. In spite of an urgent need to reduce the burden of trauma-related nightmares, the underlying physiological changes associated with them are poorly understood, and there are no clear evidence-based recommendations for their treatment. Limitations of current assessment procedures represent a barrier to improved care. In-laboratory sleep studies rarely capture nightmares, limiting the knowledge about them and their response to treatment. This study addresses these limitations by using extended, in-home sleep monitoring to capture sleep data associated with nightmare reports in Veterans, and assessing how these features are altered throughout a cognitive-behavioral nightmare treatment. Results from this study will increase understanding of trauma-related nightmares, and advance strategies for personalizing symptom management for Veterans.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT03974503
Run by: VA Office of Research and Development
People needed: 48
Starts: 2019-12-02
Expected to finish: 2025-04-07
Last updated by the study team: 2026-04-09

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Be a Veteran enrolled to receive VA medical care at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Have stable housing for the duration of the study period
Have experienced any traumatic event meeting Criterion A for PTSD at least three months before the baseline assessment
Meet criteria for a current PTSD diagnosis or subthreshold PTSD diagnosis
Self-report experiencing trauma-related nightmares at least once per week for the past month, that are mostly-remembered and that cause awakening
Self-report global sleep disturbance indicated by a score of 5 or greater on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
Be stable on any psychoactive medications for a minimum of two weeks before the baseline assessment

You may not qualify if…

Inability to provide fully-informed written consent to participate and/or a bed partner does not agree to mattress recording during the in-home portion of the study
Medical conditions that limit ability to apply the treatment e.g., needing a health aide or caregiver to record sleep diaries, unable to get out of bed without assistance
Current pregnancy and/or birth of a child within the previous 6 months
Current alcohol or illicit substance use disorders or early remission (at least 3 months abstinent)
Active suicidal or homicidal ideation
A history of any bipolar disorder spectrum disorder or psychotic disorder
Hospitalization for a mental health disorder in the past 2 months
Enrolled in current PTSD-focused treatment (e.g., Cognitive Processing Therapy or Prolonged Exposure), current nightmare treatment or a history of treatment failure with a cognitive-behavioral nightmare intervention
Veterans may also be excluded from participation if they have been identified by the local VA disruptive behavior committee to have displayed disruptive, threatening and/or violent behavior

Where it is running

Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN — Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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