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Psychological Research Jun 2023The goal of this paper is to shed new light on the relation between dream recall and dream experiences by providing a thorough analysis of the process that leads to... (Review)
Review
The goal of this paper is to shed new light on the relation between dream recall and dream experiences by providing a thorough analysis of the process that leads to dream reports. Three crucial steps of this process will be distinguished: dream production (the generation of a conscious experience during sleep), dream encoding (storing a trace of this experience in memory) and dream retrieval (accessing the memory trace upon awakening). The first part of the paper will assess how major theories think about the relationship between dream reports and these distinct steps. The second part will systematise how trait and state factors affecting dream recall-given different theoretical assumptions-might interact with dream production, encoding and retrieval. Understanding how the distinct steps of dream recall can be modulated by different factors is crucial for getting a better grip on how to acquire information about these steps empirically and for drawing methodological conclusions with regard to the tools dream research relies on to collect subjective data about dream experiences. The third part of the paper will analyse how laboratory reports, logs and retrospective scales interact with the different factors that affect the distinct steps leading to dream reports and will argue that prospective methods provide more direct access to data regarding dream production and encoding than retrospective methods, which-due to their inability to provide systematic control over the factors affecting the retrieval stage-screen-off the variability in the production and the encoding of dreams.
Topics: Humans; Dreams; Retrospective Studies; Sleep; Mental Recall; Consciousness
PubMed: 35960337
DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01722-7 -
The International Journal of... Apr 2023The paper confronts psychoanalytic dream theories with the findings of empirical dream research. It summarizes the discussion in psychoanalysis around the function of... (Review)
Review
The paper confronts psychoanalytic dream theories with the findings of empirical dream research. It summarizes the discussion in psychoanalysis around the function of dreams (e.g. as the guardian of sleep), wish-fullfilment or compensation, whether there is a difference between latent and manifest content, etc. In empirical dream research some of these questions have been investigated and the results can provide clarifications for psychoanalytic theorizing. The paper provides an overview of empirical dream research and its findings, as well as of clinical dream research in psychoanalysis, which was mainly conducted in German-speaking countries. The results are used to discuss the major questions in psychoanalytic dream theories and points out some developments in contemporary approaches which have been influenced by these insights. As a conclusion the paper attempts to formulate a revised theory of dreaming and its functions, which combines psychoanalytic thinking with research.
Topics: Humans; Dreams; Psychoanalysis; Psychoanalytic Interpretation; Psychoanalytic Theory; Psychoanalytic Therapy
PubMed: 37139735
DOI: 10.1080/00207578.2023.2184268 -
Medicine Sep 2020Early life family relationships affect the sexuality in adulthood, and these influences might be reflected in sexual dreams. The present study was designed to... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Early life family relationships affect the sexuality in adulthood, and these influences might be reflected in sexual dreams. The present study was designed to investigate the exact associations between family relationships and sexual dream experience. We therefore invited 62 frequent sexual dreamers (dreamers) and 104 healthy volunteers (controls) to answer the Sexual Dream Experience Questionnaire (SDEQ) and the Family Relationship Questionnaire (FRQ). Compared to controls, dreamers scored higher on all SDEQ factors and sexual dream frequency, higher on FRQ Paternal Abuse, and lower on FRQ General Attachment and Maternal Freedom Release. In controls, Paternal Abuse was associated with Joyfulness, Maternal Dominance with Aversion, and Maternal Abuse with dream frequency (-). In dreamers, Paternal Abuse was associated with Aversion, Bizarreness and dream frequency, and Maternal Freedom Release with Aversion (-). In conclusion, there were pronounced associations between sexual dreams and family relationships in frequent sexual dreamers. Paternal Abuse in particular was associated with sexual dream experience. Adverse family relationships might induce frequent sexual dream occurrence, and family therapy or early intervention of Paternal Abuse might alleviate the negative sexual dream experience.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Case-Control Studies; Dreams; Family Relations; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Male; Sexuality; Young Adult
PubMed: 32899040
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000021981 -
Consciousness and Cognition Sep 2020Lucid dreaming-the phenomenon of experiencing waking levels of self-reflection within one's dreams-is associated with more wake-like levels of neural activation in...
Lucid dreaming-the phenomenon of experiencing waking levels of self-reflection within one's dreams-is associated with more wake-like levels of neural activation in prefrontal brain regions. In addition, alternating periods of wakefulness and sleep might increase the likelihood of experiencing a lucid dream. Here we investigate the association between sleep fragmentation and lucid dreaming, with a multi-centre study encompassing four different investigations into subjective and objective measures of sleep fragmentation, nocturnal awakenings, sleep quality and polyphasic sleep schedules. Results across these four studies provide a more nuanced picture into the purported connection between sleep fragmentation and lucid dreaming: While self-assessed numbers of awakenings, polyphasic sleep and physiologically validated wake-REM sleep transitions were associated with lucid dreaming, neither self-assessed sleep quality, nor physiologically validated numbers of awakenings were. We discuss these results, and their underlying neural mechanisms, within the general question of whether sleep fragmentation and lucid dreaming share a causal link.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Dreams; Female; Humans; Male; Metacognition; Middle Aged; Sleep Deprivation; Sleep, REM; Wakefulness; Young Adult
PubMed: 32768920
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102988 -
The American Journal on Addictions Jan 2022Drug-related dreams are commonly reported by individuals in treatment for substance use disorders, which may be distressing. Existing evidence suggests that dream...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Drug-related dreams are commonly reported by individuals in treatment for substance use disorders, which may be distressing. Existing evidence suggests that dream recollection may be influenced by clinically relevant phenomena, such as opioid use and withdrawal, general sleep disturbance, affective symptoms, and chronic pain. However, very few studies have explored drug-related dreams among individuals who screened positive for opioid use disorder (OUD).
METHODS
Adults recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) who screened positive for OUD (N = 154) completed a questionnaire about drug-related dreams, as well as measures assessing sleep, opioid use history, stress, anxiety, and chronic pain. χ analyses, one-way analysis of variance, and bivariate correlations, correcting for the false discovery rate, were used as appropriate to explore correlates of (1) recollecting a drug-related dream, and (2) experiencing post-dream craving and distress.
RESULTS
Individuals who recollected a past-week drug-related dream were more likely to report other recent sleep disturbances, including poorer sleep quality, greater insomnia symptoms, and a higher risk for sleep apnea. Post-dream craving and distress were both associated with greater insomnia symptoms, poor sleep hygiene behaviors, and greater anxiety symptoms. Individuals who had ever experienced a drug-related dream (recently, or in their lifetime) were more likely to report a history of severe withdrawal, overdose, and intravenous opioid use.
CONCLUSION AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE
Drug-related dreams were common among individuals in the present sample and were related to other clinically relevant phenomena. Interventions that treat co-occurring OUD, pain, sleep symptoms, and affective symptoms may improve overall well-being in this population.
Topics: Adult; Affective Symptoms; Anxiety; Dreams; Humans; Opioid-Related Disorders; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
PubMed: 34459058
DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13219 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Jun 2024Changes in sleep and dreams are often observed during pregnancy. Dreaming may represent privileged access to the inner world of individuals, providing relevant... (Review)
Review
Changes in sleep and dreams are often observed during pregnancy. Dreaming may represent privileged access to the inner world of individuals, providing relevant information about their well-being. For this reason, a growing but heterogeneous literature has investigated dream experiences of pregnant women. The present paper aimed to systematically review the available evidence on the relationship between pregnancy and oneric activity, focusing on dream and nightmare frequency, dream contents, and emotional features. Moreover, dream changes between pre-partum and post-partum periods and the impact of previous pregnancy-related adverse events on dreaming have been summarized. Overall, 17 studies have been examined. The reviewed evidence suggests that women tend to have an abundant production of dreams and nightmares during pregnancy, and some results support the view that a high rate of dream recall is associated with poor sleep quality. Most studies have shown a high presence of pregnancy-related dream content, likely reflecting waking experiences and concerns. Additionally, dreaming may promote psychological preparation and activation of functional coping strategies to face life changes after childbirth.
PubMed: 38852848
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105763 -
Childhood maltreatment and sleep in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sleep Medicine Reviews Jun 2022Childhood maltreatment is a global problem with the risk of serious health consequences for children and adolescents, including sleep problems. Former systematic reviews... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Childhood maltreatment is a global problem with the risk of serious health consequences for children and adolescents, including sleep problems. Former systematic reviews have examined the association between childhood maltreatment and sleep problems in adults, but no systematic review has investigated the literature on childhood maltreatment and sleep problems in childhood and adolescence. We published a protocol (PROSPERO: CRD42021225741) and conducted a systematic literature search using nine electronic databases. Upon duplicate removal, 1530 records were screened against the inclusion criteria, and 26 studies were included in the review. The most studied sleep outcomes were symptoms of insomnia, sleep duration and nightmares. The results showed significant associations between exposure to childhood maltreatment and insomnia symptoms (OR 3.91, 95%CI: 2.64-5.79, p < .001), shorter sleep duration (-12.1 min, 95%CI: -19.4 to -4.7, p < .001) and nightmares (OR 3.15, 95%CI: 2.38-4.18, p < 001). There was a considerable heterogeneity in measures and instruments used to examine sleep and maltreatment. Our findings highlight the importance of screening and intervening for sleep problems in children and adolescents exposed to childhood maltreatment.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Child Abuse; Dreams; Humans; Sleep; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders; Sleep Wake Disorders
PubMed: 35313257
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101617 -
Sleep Medicine Reviews Oct 2023The purpose of this narrative review was to describe prevalence rates of nightmares and nightmare disorder in school-aged youth according to sample characteristics and... (Review)
Review
The purpose of this narrative review was to describe prevalence rates of nightmares and nightmare disorder in school-aged youth according to sample characteristics and methods used to assess nightmares. We searched PsychINFO, PubMed, and CINAHL databases to identify empirical peer-reviewed articles and grey literature published between 2001 and 2021. Sixty-nine studies from 23 countries were included. The prevalence of nightmares was between 1% and 11% in the past week and 25% to 35% in the past month in pediatric developmental samples and between 27% and 57% in the past week and 18%-22% in the past month in psychiatric samples. The prevalence of nightmare disorder was approximately between 3% and 6% in pediatric developmental samples and 10%-12% in psychiatric samples. Nightmare prevalence peaks between ages 10 and 14 then decreases with older age. Generally, prevalence was higher in girls than boys, and one study suggested gender divergence started around age 14. Children's self-reports were higher than parent reports, except in samples with comorbid psychiatric problems where there was more parent-child agreement. Inconsistencies in nightmare definitions and measurement were observed across the literature and indicate a need for standardized measurement of nightmares.
Topics: Humans; Dreams; Child; Prevalence; Adolescent; Female; Male
PubMed: 37651893
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101834 -
Consciousness and Cognition Aug 2023The peripersonal space, that is, the limited space surrounding the body, involves multisensory coding and representation of the self in space. Previous studies have...
The peripersonal space, that is, the limited space surrounding the body, involves multisensory coding and representation of the self in space. Previous studies have shown that peripersonal space representation and the visual perspective on the environment can be dramatically altered when neurotypical individuals self-identify with a distant avatar (i.e., in virtual reality) or during clinical conditions (i.e., out-of-body experience, heautoscopy, depersonalization). Despite its role in many cognitive/social functions, the perception of peripersonal space in dreams, and its relationship with the perception of other characters (interpersonal distance in dreams), remain largely uncharted. The present study aimed to explore the visuospatial properties of this space, which is likely to underlie self-location as well as self/other distinction in dreams. 530 healthy volunteers answered a web-based questionnaire to measure their dominant visuo-spatial perspective in dreams, the frequency of recall for felt distances between their dream self and other dream characters, and the dreamers' viewing angle of other dream characters. Most participants reported dream experiences from a first-person perspective (1PP) (82%) compared to a third-person perspective (3PP) (18%). Independent of their dream perspective, participants reported that they generally perceived other dream characters in their close space, that is, at distance of either between 0 and 90 cm, or 90-180 cm, than in further spaces (180-270 cm). Regardless of the perspective (1PP or 3PP), both groups also reported more frequently seeing other dream characters from eye level (0° angle of viewing) than from above (30° and 60°) or below eye level (-30° and -60°). Moreover, the intensity of sensory experiences in dreams, as measured by the Bodily Self-Consciousness in Dreams Questionnaire, was higher in individuals who habitually see other dream characters closer to their personal dream self (i.e., within 0-90 cm and 90-180 cm). These preliminary findings offer a new, phenomenological account of space representation in dreams with regards to the felt presence of others. They might provide insights not only to our understanding of how dreams are formed, but also to the type of neurocomputations involved in self/other distinction.
Topics: Dreams; Surveys and Questionnaires; Consciousness; Humans; Orientation; Self Report; Regression Analysis; Orientation, Spatial; Mental Recall; Wakefulness; Male; Female; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult
PubMed: 37390767
DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2023.103547 -
Zhurnal Nevrologii I Psikhiatrii Imeni... 2022Studies show a high frequency of comorbidity of insomnia and nightmares, which aggravate and chronicle each other. The mechanisms of their mutual influence are...
Studies show a high frequency of comorbidity of insomnia and nightmares, which aggravate and chronicle each other. The mechanisms of their mutual influence are different. Insomnia changes the nature of dreams, both indirectly through emotional hyperactivation characteristic of insomnia, and as a result of frequent awakenings. However, frequent recurring unpleasant and frightening dreams can themselves increase the frequency of nocturnal awakenings and worsen the quality of sleep. The comorbidity of insomnia and nightmares should be taken into account when choosing a therapeutic approach in this category of patients. Priority are drugs that do not cause nightmares as a side effect, as well as psychotherapy.
Topics: Comorbidity; Dreams; Humans; Sleep; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
PubMed: 35759565
DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202212205242