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Nightmares in children: Influencing factors

Alpträume bei Kindern: Einflussfaktoren

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Summary

The present study investigated the relationship between nightmare frequency and both sleep and waking-life behavior in children aged 6 to 11 years. The prevalence rate of nightmares was 41% and 5% experienced nightmares once a week or more often. In the present sample, girls' nightmare frequency exceeded that of boys. The results indicate that parasomnias such as nightmares, night terrors and sleepwalking often occurred together. With regard to personality, the findings support previous studies in adolescents and adults which have shown a relationship between “thin boundaries” and nightmare frequency. As expected, the occurrence of stressors (school problems, parental divorce) affected nightmare frequency. However, correlations were small and inconsistent, so that future studies should be performed to elicit the temporal pattern of stress and nightmares.

Zusammenfassung

Die vorliegende Studie untersuchte den Zusammenhang zwischen Alptraumhäufigkeit und Schlaf und Wachverhalten von Kindern zwischen 6 und 11 Jahren. Die Prävalenzrate von Alpträumen betrug 41% und 5% der Kinder erlebten Alpträume einmal pro Woche oder häufiger. In der vorliegenden Stichprobe wurde für Mädchen eine höhere Alptraumrate angegeben als für Jungen. Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass Parasomnien wie Alpträume, Pavor nocturnus und Schlafwandeln häufig zusammen auftreten. In Bezug auf die Persönlichkeit sind die Ergebnisse in Einklang mit früheren Studien bei Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen, die einen Zusammenhang zwischen, ‘dünnen’ Grenzen und Alptraumhäufigkeit nachweisen konnten. Wie erwartet, beeinflusste das Auftreten von Stressoren (Schulprobleme, elterliche Scheidung) die Alptraumhäufigkeit. Die Korrelationskoeflizienten waren jedoch niedrig und nicht konsistent, so dass zukünftige Studien das zeitliche Muster des stressvorkommens und der Alpträume erfassen sollten.

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Correspondence to Michael Schredl.

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Schredl, M., Blomeyer, D. & Görlinger, M. Nightmares in children: Influencing factors. Somnologie 4, 145–149 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-000-0007-z

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