Replicative, frequency and emotional component nightmares are associated with depression, anxiety, and stress in nursing students from southern Mexico

The nightmares are associated with psychopathological symptoms in the healthcare workers. However, there are few studies conducted on healthcare students as well as on nursing students. The aim of the study was to evaluate type, frequence and components of nightmares in nursing students and compare them with the presence of depression, anxiety, and stress. A total of 234 nursing students were included in the study. For the nightmare assessment, we used the Hamburg Nightmare Questionnaire (HNQ). Whereas for the depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, were evaluated by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale – 21. We found that 75.3% of the students had replicative nightmares. Nursing students that experience nightmares one time per week report higher levels of depression (21.6%), anxiety (29.0%), and stress (23.9%) symptoms that students with other frequency nightmares. Finally, the components, emotional involvement, physiological and replicability were higher in nursing students with depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. The results of the present study showed an association between replicative nightmares and anxiety symptoms in nursing students. Mental health professionals and nursing student mentors should consider the presence, type, and components of nightmares in nursing students to prevent psychopathologies, including suicidal behavior.