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Cited by 192Sleep and related disordersSleep and Wakefulness ResearchPsychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research

Gender differences in nightmare frequency: A meta-analysis

Schredl, Michael, Reinhard, Iris·2011·Sleep Medicine Reviews
DOI 10.1016/j.smrv.2010.06.002
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Abstract

Many studies have reported gender differences in nightmare frequency. In order to study this difference systematically, data from 111 independent studies have been included in the meta-analysis reported here. Overall, estimated effect sizes regarding the gender difference in nightmare frequency differed significantly from zero in three age groups of healthy persons (adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults), whereas for children and older persons no substantial gender difference in nightmare frequency could be demonstrated. There are several candidate variables like dream recall frequency, depression, childhood trauma, and insomnia which might explain this gender difference because these variables are related to nightmare frequency and show stable gender differences themselves. Systematic research studying the effect of these variables on the gender difference in nightmare frequency, though, is still lacking. In the present study it was found that women tend to report nightmares more often than men but this gender difference was not found in children and older persons. Starting with adolescence, the gender difference narrowed with increasing age. In addition, studies with binary coded items showed a markedly smaller effect size for the gender difference in nightmare frequency compared to the studies using multiple categories in a rating scale. How nightmares were defined did not affect the gender difference. In the analyses of all studies and also in the analysis for the children alone the data source (children vs. parents) turned out to be the most influential variable on the gender difference (reporting, age). Other results are also presented. Investigating factors explaining the gender difference in nightmare frequency might be helpful in deepening the understanding regarding nightmare etiology and possibly gender differences in other mental disorders like depression or posttraumatic stress disorder.

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  • For nightmare frequency, new analyses showed a somewhat consistent pattern indicating that females remember more nightmares in countries with higher living conditions.

    “For Nightmare frequency, the new analyses seemed to show a somewhat consistent pattern (Schredl & Reinhard, 2011) indicating that females remember more nightmares in countries with higher living conditions.”

    From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Schredl & Reinhard, 2011

  • Females report higher levels of nightmare frequency than males, with SMD = 0.18.

    “The new analyses indicated that females report higher levels of Nightmare frequency (SMD = 0.18; Schredl & Reinhard, 2011)”

    From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Schredl & Reinhard, 2011

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Authors
Schredl, M., & Reinhard, I.
Affiliations
Central Institute of Mental Health (DE)
Corresponding author
Schredl, Michael
ORCID
Venue
Sleep Medicine Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-04
Volume
15
Issue
2
Pages
115-121
ISSN
1087-0792 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.smrv.2010.06.002
OpenAlex
W1980670432
Cited by
192
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 8
FWCI
10.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Sleep Medicine Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
Keywords
nightmares, gender differences, nightmare frequency, dream recall, depression, childhood trauma, insomnia, age differences, children, older adults
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Child, Depression, Dreams, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sex Factors, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Sleep Arousal Disorders, Young Adult

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