Four-year-old Denise was sound asleep. Suddenly, without warning, she sat straight up and began to scream. Her mother tried to calm her down with no success. Finally, after about 45 seconds of what appeared to be a panic attack, Denise quietly lied back down. When morning came and Denise awoke, she could not remember anything that had happened during the night. It is likely that Denise experienced

• A. somnambulism.
• B. REM rebound.
• C. a nightmare.
• D. a night terror.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context: Denise is a four-year-old child who experienced a sudden episode of screaming during sleep, which lasted about 45 seconds, and she had no recollection of the event in the morning.
2. Identify key characteristics: The episode involved intense fear, occurred during sleep, and was not remembered by Denise upon waking. These are important clues to differentiate between various sleep disturbances.
3. Differentiate between sleep disturbances: Somnambulism (sleepwalking) involves walking or performing complex behaviors while asleep, typically without screaming. REM rebound is an increase in REM sleep following deprivation, not characterized by screaming. Nightmares occur during REM sleep and are usually remembered upon waking.
4. Recognize the characteristics of a night terror: Night terrors typically occur during non-REM sleep, involve intense fear or screaming, and the individual usually has no memory of the event. This matches Denise's experience.
5. Conclude that Denise likely experienced a night terror, as it aligns with the symptoms of intense fear, screaming, and lack of memory of the event, distinguishing it from other sleep disturbances.