Nightmares’ Pattern and Predictors among a Saudi University Students during COVID-19 Pandemic

Amal A. Alghamdi, Nora O. Alafif, Ahmed S. BaHammam, May Almuammar, Najd S. Alharbi, Nouf A. Alhefdhi, Sara Al-Musharaf, Kholoud S. Al Ghamdi, Ghada F. AlYousif and Norah F. Al Muhanna
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Amal A. Alghamdi: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
Nora O. Alafif: Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 10219, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed S. BaHammam: The University Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11324, Saudi Arabia
May Almuammar: Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 10219, Saudi Arabia
Najd S. Alharbi: Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 10219, Saudi Arabia
Nouf A. Alhefdhi: Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 10219, Saudi Arabia
Sara Al-Musharaf: Department of Community Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 10219, Saudi Arabia
Kholoud S. Al Ghamdi: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
Ghada F. AlYousif: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia
Norah F. Al Muhanna: Psychiatry Department, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 34212, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Purpose: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic quarantine, university students were under various types of stressors, including the exams period, which might have affected their quality and quantity of sleep, and consequently, their quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the pattern and predictors of nightmares among university students and coinvestigate the presence of other types of sleep disturbances, mental disorders, and quarantine-related stressors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 368 university students who answered a self-completed questionnaire covering their sociodemographic features, nightmare indicators, and associated quarantine stressors. Additionally, sleep disturbances were measured using the Generalized Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS), anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2 scale, and depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2. Results: The participants’ mean age was 20.4 ± 1.6 years, and male participants represented 35.9% of the sample. Nightmares were experienced by 117 (31.8%) of the participants, of whom 44.4% had new-onset nightmares. The mean GSDS was 45.0 ± 14.9 (min. = 12, max. = 130). This value is associated with elevated odds of the following outcomes: the presence of nightmares (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8; confidence interval [CI] 95% = 1.1–3.0); new-onset nightmares at the time of pandemic (OR = 2.6; CI 95% = 1.3–5.5); and anxiety (OR = 1.74; CI 95% = 1.0–2.9). The presence of nightmares elevated the score of GSDS by 11.3 points (S.E. = 1.6, p < 0.001), elevated the odds of anxiety by 4.1 (CI 95% = 2.5–6.8), and depression by 2.1 (CI 95% = 1.3–3.4). Conclusions: Stressors resulting from both the exams period and the fact that it was conducted during COVID-19 quarantine increased the rate and affected the pattern of nightmares. These stressors also led to other sleep disturbances and mental disorders that were significantly more prevalent among females.

Keywords: nightmares; anxiety; depression; coronavirus; quarantine; university (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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