REPETITIVE AND FRIGHTENING DREAMS AND SUICIDAL-BEHAVIOR IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

The purpose of the present study was to examine the association betwee n repetitive and frightening dreams and suicidal tendency in patients with major depression. Depressed patients who reported frequent nightm are (N = 29) and depressed patients who reported dreaming but never ni ghtmares (N = 34) were evaluated using the Schedule for Affective Diso rders and Schizophrenia (SADS) suicide subscale to rate the severity o f active suicidality. The patients with frequent nightmares, particula rly women, had higher mean SADS suicide subscale scores and were more likely to be classified as suicidal than the others. The findings demo nstrate that frequent nightmares are associated with suicidal tendency in patients with major depression. Theoretical and clinical implicati ons for the function of dreaming are discussed. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.