Prevalence and correlates of sleep paralysis in adults reporting childhood sexual abuse

J Anxiety Disord. 2008 Dec;22(8):1535-41. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.03.007. Epub 2008 Mar 13.

Abstract

Sleep paralysis (SP) occurs when rapid eye movement (REM) activity and concomitant paralysis of the skeletal muscles persist as an individual awakens and becomes conscious of his/her surroundings. SP is often accompanied by frightening hallucinations that some researchers suggest may be confounded with memories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA; [McNally, R. J., & Clancy, S. A. (2005). Sleep paralysis in adults reporting repressed, recovered, or continuous memories of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 19, 595-602]). The purpose of this study was to evaluate relationships between CSA and SP. Based on self-report, participants (n=263) were categorized into three CSA groups: confirmed, unconfirmed, or no history of CSA. Relative to participants reporting no CSA history, those reporting CSA reported more frequent and more distressing episodes of SP. Post hoc analyses revealed that participants with clinically significant post-traumatic symptoms (irrespective of CSA history) also reported more frequent and more distressing episodes of SP. Significant correlations were found among SP indices and measures of post-traumatic symptoms, depression, dissociation, and absorption. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Canada / epidemiology
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / statistics & numerical data*
  • Control Groups
  • Emotions
  • Female
  • Hallucinations / epidemiology
  • Hallucinations / psychology
  • Humans
  • Life Change Events
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Psychological
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Prevalence
  • Psychometrics
  • Sleep Paralysis / diagnosis
  • Sleep Paralysis / epidemiology*
  • Sleep Paralysis / psychology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / diagnosis
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / epidemiology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Survivors / psychology
  • Survivors / statistics & numerical data