MedTrace Logo

Understanding Trauma Nightmares Using In-Home Measurement

NCT03974503 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 48

Last updated 2026-04-09

Study results available
· View outcomes & findings →

Summary

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.

Conditions

  • Nightmares
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Actigraphy
  • Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia
  • Veterans

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy

ERRT is a weekly 5-session treatment aimed at reducing chronic trauma nightmares and sleep disturbances in trauma-exposed adults.

BEHAVIORAL

Sleep and Nightmare Management

This is a manualized protocol developed to be of similar length but exclude the active components of standard ERRT.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • VA Office of Research and Development

    lead FED

Principal Investigators

  • Katherine Elizabeth Miller, PhD · Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2019-12-02
Primary Completion
2025-03-31
Completion
2025-04-07

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03974503 on ClinicalTrials.gov