1194 Targeted Dream Incubation’s Impact on Dream Self-Efficacy & Joy

A brief nap-based intervention using verbal cues before sleep, called Targeted Dream Incubation (TDI), can increase people's confidence in their ability to dream (dreaming self-efficacy) and enhance the joy they feel about their dreams. In a study of 15 participants, 80% reported dreams that included the cued subject (a tree). Dreaming self-efficacy scores rose significantly from before the nap to immediately after and remained higher at a one-week follow-up. Joy related to dreams also increased significantly from baseline to the one-week follow-up. These results suggest TDI is a reliable method for boosting dreaming self-efficacy and may also positively affect emotional responses to dreaming.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Targeted Dream Incubation (TDI) is the process of utilizing verbal cues (such as, “while you try to fall asleep, try and think of a tree”) during pre-sleep stages in order to directly shape dream content. Preliminary results have demonstrated that TDI may be able to increase dreaming self-efficacy (DSE). Our study aimed to replicate and extend initial findings by examining TDI’s impact on DSE and related variables. Methods Fifteen participants completed the TDI protocol, which included a pre-nap assessment (baseline), a 1.5-hour nap opportunity, a post-nap assessment, and a one-week follow-up assessment. In all assessments, we measured DSE and subjective feelings related to dreaming. During the nap, when entry into hypnagogia was detected (via a portable EEG system) dream reports were collected and afterwards participants were again given the verbal cue and told to continue sleeping. Non-parametric statistics were used to examine descriptives, compare means, and explore linear relationships. Results Most participants (n = 12; 80%) reported at least one dream that included the cued subject (a tree). Mean comparison analyses found that post-nap DSE (M = 4.56, SD = 1.55) and one-week follow-up DSE (M = 4.45, SD = 1.69; p < 0.05) were both significantly higher than baseline DSE (M = 3.49, SD = 1.54; p < 0.05); and that joy related to dreams measured at the one-week follow-up (M = 4.36, SD = 1.55) was significantly higher than joy related to dreams measured at baseline (M = 3.14, SD = 0.66; p < 0.05). Conclusion Findings both replicate and extend prior research, by demonstrating that TDI may be a reliable method for increasing DSE. Additionally, these findings are the first of their kind to demonstrate that TDI may also impact joy related to dreaming. Both results are quite meaningful as prior research has linked self-efficacy to positive treatment outcomes, and low levels of joy have been linked to outcomes such as depression and suicide. Although statistical power was accounted for, the small sample size is still a limitation of the findings and directly impacts generalizability. Support (if any)