Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 21 (2023) > e21006

Proposed Cut Scores for the Nightmare Experience Scale (NExS) Among Nonclinical Samples: An Analog Study

Emily O. Cooper, William E. Kelly

Abstract

This study employed an analog design to evaluate optimal cut scores for the Nightmare Experience Scale (NExS) to identify individuals with possible clinically salient nightmares (CSNs) in a nonclinical sample. Undergraduate participants (N = 480) completed the NExS, the Disturbing Dream and Nightmare Severity Index (DDNSI), and the SLEEP-50 Nightmare Scale (S50-N). Using established DDNSI and S50-N thresholds, participants were classified into possible CSN and control groups. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted to evaluate NExS accuracy. The NExS demonstrated strong discriminative ability (AUC = .941) in distinguishing between positive and negative cases of possible CSNs. Sensitivity and specificity indices indicated that a cut score of ≥9 is suitable for identifying potential CSNs in nonclinical populations. Future studies incorporating clinical interviews are warranted to determine the scale’s utility for detecting clinically meaningful nightmare presentations in clinical settings.

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Keywords

Nightmare Experience Scale (NExS);

Clinically salient nightmares;

Nightmare assessment;

Receiver operating characteristics;

Cut-score validation;

Sleep disturbance;

Nonclinical sample