Relationship among the dream threat level, life events and childhood trauma in obsessive-compulsive patients

Abstract

Objective To explore the relationship among dream threat level, life events and childhood trauma in obsessive-compulsive patients. Methods 59 obsessive-compulsive patients and 57 healthy controls were tested with Dream Threat Questionnaire(DTQ), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and Life Events Scale (LES). The dream threat level were compared between the two groups, and correlation and regression analysis were used to research the relationship of the variables for patients' data. Results Compared with the healthy controls, patients had significantly higher DTQ score (1.40±2.23 vs 3.31±3.04, P<0.01), CTQ total score (34.21±8.47 vs 43.02±10.78, P<0.01), LES total score (16.88±16.42 vs 45.39±46.01, P<0.01) and its negtive life events subscore (14.14±14.61 vs 39.56±42.94, P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed that dream threat level, negative life events and childhood trauma were significantly positively correlated each other(r=0.326~0.402, P<0.05~0.01). Regression analysis indicated that childhood trauma directly predicted dream threat level (β=0.104, P<0.05) and completely mediated the relationship between negative life events and dream threat level. Conclusion Obsessive-compulsive patients have higher dream threat level, more childhood trauma experience and life events. Childhood trauma experience is a significant factor influencing dream threat level, and as a complete mediation by which life events influence dream threat level. Key words: Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Dream; Treat; Childhood trauma; Life events