Are Frequent Nightmares in Early Childhood Linked with Psychotic Traits in Adolescence?

The jury is still out, but children with frequent nightmares at ages 2 to 9 years were significantly more likely to report psychotic experiences at age 12.

Several small studies suggest an association between parasomnias (nightmares, night terrors, and sleepwalking) in early childhood and development of psychotic experiences (hallucinations, delusions, and thought interference) in adolescence. Investigators prospectively followed nearly 7,000 children in England from birth to age 12 years to examine sleep-related antecedents to psychotic experiences.

When children were between ages 2 and 9 years, their mothers completed questionnaires on six occasions about their children's nightmares. At age 12 years, the children underwent a semistructured interview about nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, hallucinations (visual and auditory), delusions (spied on, persecutions, thoughts read, and grandi…

Reviewing Author

Martin T. Stein, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory boardPearson Neuroscience Advisory Board

Speaker’s bureauAmerican Academy of Pediatrics

RoyaltiesElsevier, Inc.

Editorial boardsJournal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics