Haunted by Nightmares: Factors Associated with Nightmare Frequency and Experiences
Psychology 2025 DOI: 10.4236/psych.2025.162015 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Undergraduate and graduate students at a small Evangelical Christian university |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Psychoanalysis Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Nightmare frequency is associated with personality, academic major, stress, anxiety, sleep quality, and dream-related beliefs. |
Abstract
Previous research has reported relationships between nightmares, including nightmare frequency and variables such as gender, cognition, sleep habits and quality, and beliefs about dreams and their meaning. Using a convenience sample of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at a small Evangelical Christian university, a number of potential factors were examined for their respective influence on aspects of dream frequency and content and the typical emotional tone of dreams. Specifically, the primary goal of the present research was to examine the personality characteristics and academic background of participants on the frequency of nightmares among a cohort of college students of different academic ranks, undergraduate and graduate, and the impact of majoring in an area of science versus nonscience majors. In addition, the potential role of stress and anxiety on nightmare frequency was explored. Finally, but central to the goals of the present research, various measures of sleep quality, beliefs about the experience of dreaming, the meaning ascribed to personal dreams, and the MADRE Interactions and Uses of Dreams subscale were considered as drivers impacting the frequency, severity, and distress individuals experience when confronted with nightmares. The results, their implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cites 32
- Insomnia Symptoms, Nightmares, and Suicidal Ideation in a College Student Sample Sleep 2011
- The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Journal of Sleep Research May 26, 2004
- Aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder: State of the art and future perspectives Journal of Sleep Research January 29, 2019
- Prevalence and Correlates of Frequent Nightmares: A Community-Based 2-Phase Study Sleep June 1, 2010
- Prevalence of Nightmare Disorder in Psychiatric Outpatients Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2013
and 27 more in the library