Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
Published on: September 12, 2014
Trait-based Anxiety Symptoms are Associated with Higher Incidence of Nightmare Frequency in the Wisconsin Sleep
Matthew K P Gratton1,2, Nancy Hamilton1, Diego R Mazzotti2,3
1Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Objectives:
Nightmares affect up to 12% of the population and are often comorbid with psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression. Limited research has examined their influence on nightmare frequency. This study investigates the relationship between depression and trait-anxiety symptoms on incident nightmare frequency at follow-up.
Method:
Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted on 758 Wisconsin Sleep Cohort participants. Trait anxiety and depression symptom severity were measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Zung Depression Scale. Ordinal regression determined nightmare frequency cutoffs based on anxiety and depression severity. Cross-sectional associations were assessed with Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Longitudinal associations were analyzed using adjusted binomial regression of binary nightmare frequency (low: <4/month, high: >5/month) against clinical cutoffs of trait anxiety and depression.
Results:
Adjusted models indicated a small correlation between baseline nightmare frequency and trait anxiety (β = 0.01, p = .010) and depression symptoms (β = 0.01, p = .005). High baseline trait-anxiety symptoms were associated with frequent nightmares at follow-up (OR = 3.75, CI95% [1.306,10.793], p < .014), but depression symptoms were not (OR = 1.35, CI95%[0.399, 4.587], p = .627).
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that high trait-anxiety symptoms are associated with increased incident nightmare frequency, when adjusted for depression. However, high depression symptoms were not associated with an increase in nightmare frequency when adjusted for trait-anxiety.
More Related Videos
06:23A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
Published on: September 22, 2020
04:33Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Connection Between Sleep Disorders and Cognitive Symptoms in Depression
Published on: April 26, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Nightmares and Night Terrors
Nightmares...
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Insomnia
Multiple factors contribute...
Cause and Effect
Social Anxiety Disorder